For Very Good Reasons
by thecompletebookworm
Summary: No one gives much thought to the fact Regulus died trying to bring Voldemort down.  No one thinks of his reasons and no one must certainly thinks of his daughter Amira.  She wasn't remembered on the pages of history. Her story was left untold, until now.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not nor ever will own Harry Potter or any characters or elements you recognize. They are owned by the fabulous J.K. Rowling. Now that we all know that…**

**Prologue**

"Reggie, you don't have to do this."

Regulus Arcturus Black smiled back at Eliana as he held her hand. "I will do anything and everything to keep you safe."

Eliana laughed at that, tossing her red hair over her shoulder. "I can take care of myself too, you know."

"Well, I'm not taking any chances." Regulus leaned in and kissed her over the kitchen table.

Regulus had never felt worse. In his final years at Hogwarts, he had done two very stupid things. He had joined the Death Eaters and he had fallen in love with a muggle-born, Eliana Scott. Neverless, Regulus would never regret the second one. But now they were in a war where Eliana could die any second.

/Imaginary Line here/

Eliana was his glimmer of hope, throughout the dark abysmal days. His family just never had to know. Regulus had been the perfect little Slytherin child and he intended to keep it that way. Regulus had worked too hard for too long to throw it all away. He watched what had happened to Sirius and Andromeda. And if his mother knew about Eliana, Walburga would most likely hunt the girl down. He did all this to protect her. If his family knew, Regulus doubted he would be able to stand up to them. He in short was a coward.

Eliana on the other hand, was fearless. She was sorted into Gryffindor seconds after the sorting hat had touched her head. Eliana had then jumped and skipped across the hall to join Regulus's brother and the other Gryffindors. Eliana had been good at her classes and had basically gone unnoticed until their 3rd year. That had been when death eater recruitment started. The newest recruits took to practicing their spells on the first years. Eliana had hexed (or at least tried to hex, the 7th years really were too much for her) them. She hated seeing pain and suffering and did all she could to prevent it.

/Imaginary Line here/

In 4th year, Regulus had joined the death eaters under much coaxing from Bella and the rest of his pureblood family. He had been so proud to go parading around the school causing terror and havoc. It had been wonderful. Everything had been so straightforward, so obvious, so black and white. Regulus had tortured his share of innocent students. It had all felt right until he had met one stubborn redheaded girl along the charms corridor. Bella had been teaching him the Cruciatus curse. A squealing 2nd year lay on the floor, a cut running down his cheek.

"Crucio," he mumbled weakly. The boy grimaced.

"You have to mean it Regulus. Put all your pain into it, cousin dear. CRUCIO!" Bella shouted.

The boy on the floor screamed.

"You have to stop. You're hurting him," Eliana had rounded the corner and was walking quickly towards the small group.

"Why would I care about some filthy little mudblood?" Bella sneered.

"You'll be expelled for this," Eliana had replied calmly.

"I THINK NOT!" Bella had thundered. She always had issues with her temper. "STUPEFY! "

Eliana slumped to the floor.

"Are you scared now?" Bella looked at Eliana's face. "Why a mudblood and a Gryffindor to boot, I have the duty to get rid of such filth." Bella began circling the girl.

Eliana was able to break through the stunning spell just long enough to stick her tongue out.

"CRUCIO!" Bella shouted. Eliana screamed a high clear scream.

"Bella, I'll do it. You go back to the common room. You're already on probation," Regulus said to his older cousin. "Besides I want to do it. I want to cause the pain."

"Make it hurt," Bella said as she turned on her heel. "CRUCIO!"

Regulus glanced around to make sure she had really left. "Ennervate."

He wasn't sure why he did it. Maybe it was the fact that he felt sick to his stomach already from torturing the boy. Maybe it was the fact that she was very pretty. Maybe it was that she looked like one of Sirius's friends. Maybe it was that deep down, Regulus knew he never would be able to harm her. Whatever the reason, that night, Regulus saved her.

"Get up."

Eliana looked shocked. It was a first for her. A death eater never showed mercy. It was there first rule because showing mercy showed weakness. It was not something that happened everyday.

"What are you waiting for? Get out of here!"

Eliana then jumped to her feet. "Conjunctivitis"

"What was that for I just saved you!" Regulus was shocked. That girl had nerve.

"Adrian, are you okay?" Regulus could only see a blurred outline of the girl leaning over the younger boy.

"Eliana," the boy mumbled.

Regulus committed that name to memory. Eliana. He thought it suited her.

"Good you can talk. That means you're still sane."

"Don't feel sane."

Eliana laughed. It was the first time Regulus heard her. It was such a light sound, so full of joy. "I'll get you up to the hospital wing. Can you walk?"

"No"

"Fine. Don't move okay, it will make it worse. Mobilicorpus." Adrian's body floated in the air in front of her.

Regulus stared after her as she levitated the boy down the corridor.

/Imaginary Line here/

Regulus had thought about the girl constantly. On the train home for the summer, he snuck out of the Slytherin corridor. He cornered her on the way back from the bathrooms.

"Oh it's you."

Regulus had winced at those words.

"Do you have something to say? You're kinda blocking my way."

"I wanted to apologize," Regulus looked at the girl's face. Her blue eyes were narrowed into slits and the rest of her face was a glare. "Why are you so indifferent?"

"Indifferent to what?"

"I saved you from my cousin"

"So…I wouldn't need saving if it weren't for you and your little Deatheater friends. Now Out of My Way!" Eliana said flicking her wand on every syllable.

"Fine!" Regulus took out his wand.

Just then, a Gryffindor prefect came down the aisle. "Wands away! No fighting on the train. Both of you back to your compartments!"

"How 'bout one little hex? Then I'll leave. I promise," Eliana said.

"Sorry, Eliana, rules are rules."

"Ahh but you see rules are meant to be broken," Eliana flipped her hair over her shoulder and stalked away.

/Imaginary Line here/

Regulus had spent the summer at Grimauld Place. He had put up the entire time with Bella's ongoing pureblood superiority talk. It was almost bearable until Sirius left. It had hurt to put on the indifferent mask but it had hurt more later as his parents discussed their pleasure at finally being rid of him. They bought firewhisky for the special occasion and they drank to Sirius's death "for he was no son of theirs". Walburga Black laughed as she blasted her own son off the Black family tree.

After that, the family had gathered around the fireside and Bella described her last year at Hogwarts. Regulus tuned her out. He had lived through enough of it the first time. Then he heard the applause.

"Regulus has joined him too. Haven't you?" Bella asked her eyes narrowing.

"Of course I have and those mudbloods got what was coming to them." But a small voice in his head was saying 'what about Eliana?' He inwardly sighed that girl would be the death of him. Regulus kept thinking about this all holiday. It was only obvious to Kreacher that anything was amiss with the youngest Black. Walburga kept showering her son in gifts for joining such a just and noble cause.

/Imaginary Line here/

Regulus lived through his next two years loyal to his pureblood upbringing. He kept thinking and looking for Eliana. Regulus just never had the courage to speak to her again until after his brother and cousins left. Despite that he did what ever was in his power to keep the havoc away from a pretty redheaded Gryffindor.

In his last year on the train, Regulus asked her to Hogsmeade.

He barely asked her when her friends pushed him out. "Sorry! Not happening!" She had said. Eliana's face was alive with anger. He tortured innocent students and he had the nerve to ask her out. He was so conceited. Even Sirius hadn't been that bad.

Regulus was not one to give up easily. He wanted one date with the girl by the end of the year even if she didn't know it was him. Regulus let his Slytherin side shine through. He brewed Polyjuice potion and posed as one of the Hufflepuffs. Regulus found the potion easy to brew. It was just more difficult to hide the Hufflepuff when he transformed. In his disguise, Regulus dated the unknowing Eliana Scott for months.

In December on the last day before term ended, the two were in Madame Puddifoot's Teashop, much to Eliana's displeasure.

"Really, Rigel can't you think of any other bloody place!"

"You don't like it?"

"Of course I don't like it. The whole place is pink and covered in this god-awful lace. It's tiny. There are all these stupid frills and bows. There is just so much-"

Regulus cut her off as he kissed her very gently on the lips. They tasted of Butterbeer and strawberry Chap Stick. In his opinion, there was nothing better. It was the first time he had ever kissed her and Regulus hoped it would not be the last.

"Does that make up for it?" Regulus asked smiling as she her face grew red.

"Much better but we're still getting out of here," Eliana said as she grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the squat little armchair.

"I'll meet you outside." Eliana kissed Regulus on the cheek. She practically skipped through the tables and Regulus stared after her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of Galleons to pay for the tea and scones that lay almost untouched on the pink plates. Madame Puddifoot handed him a few sickles in change. Regulus thanked her and reached into the pocket of his robes for a small vial of blue mud-like liquid. He pulled out the cork to take a sip. It was just as vile tasting as ever but there seemed to be less than usual. Regulus had no more than half an hour in his disguise.

Regulus met Eliana outside the shop. She was staring up at the swirling clouds as they poured down soft white flakes. He came up from behind her and reached for her hand. Eliana willingly clasped their fingers together. Together, they strolled down the cobblestone pathways of Hogsmeade. They ended up at the clearing by the shrieking shack. It had been Eliana's choice to where they went. As a kid she had especially enjoyed mystery novels and her favorite had taken place at a haunted house, she had wanted the chance to the most haunted establishment in Britain but her friend Maize had been strongly set against it, so Eliana had never been to the Shrieking Shack.

"It really isn't any thing like in the books. It's just small and sad looking."

"Muggles write books about the shrieking shack?"

"No they write about buildings set in forests, all broken and mangled and haunted, always haunted. There were so many books about witches living in houses like this. I admit it was really what I expected when I got my letter," Eliana laughed as she glanced at Regulus sitting on the fence beside her

"I promise the only wizards willing to live in a house like that aren't worth meeting."

"Oh really," Eliana smiled. Regulus swore that smile was going to make him melt.

"Yep! That's why you're never meeting my parents."

"They can't be that bad."

"Wanna bet?"

"Not especially. You should know your own parents."

"I doubt anyone knows my parents." It was the truth. Regulus had lived with them all his life and yet all he truly knew was not to cross his mother and that Pure-bloodedness ruled in his household. There was a moment of silence as he stroked her hair in a comforting manner as she leaned into him. "We should probably get up to the school soon. McGonagall isn't someone I'd like to cross."

"You're not the one who has to get by her. You're a Hufflepuff and Sprout isn't nearly as bad."

"That I can agree with but I don't want you in trouble." And I don't want to lose my disguise, Regulus thought.

"Rigel, you're so sweet. Promise me after we graduate, we'll try to work this all out."

"I couldn't think of anything better."

The couple leaned together for the second time that day. Regulus felt his skin begin to burn and bubble. The potion's effects were being reversed. His hair was changing from light brown to its natural wavy black. His eyes were darkening from blue to gray. Regulus gasped slightly.

"Rigel is something wro- BLOODY HELL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? WHERE'D RIGEL GO? WHAT HAPPENED?"

Regulus could tell Eliana was going into hysterics. He tried to comfort her. It didn't work. She was storming away. "Eliana please can you listen to me. Please I'd do anything. Let's work this all out."

"OH! DON'T YOU PULL THAT OUT ON ME! I WAS TALKING TO A PERSON WITH MORALS AND DIGNITY! WHILE YOU HAVE NONE! ABSOLUTELY NONE!"

"I'm the same person, always have been."

"NO YOU'RE A GIT! A BLOODY STUPID SLYTHERIN GIT! WE'RE NOT ROMEO AND JULIET! LIKE YOU'LD WANT ME ANYWAYS."

She finally wrenched her wrist out of Regulus's grasp. Eliana had a steady stream of tears cascading down her face and as she left Regulus felt tears coming down his own face as well. He would always want her.

/Imaginary Line here/

It took much begging but Regulus finally got Eliana back. It had been a horrid few months. Regulus saw her in class but Eliana made a point to ignore him. He knew he deserved it, he deceived her but it had been driving him nuts. Regulus was even happy to see her glares, when he particularly annoyed her. It was nice to get some reaction to his presence.

On Valentine's Day he asked her to the first date that she replied to due at part to the summoning jinx set on the letter. It was a wonderful night. They talked, mostly idle chitchat but by the end Eliana seemed to have forgiven Regulus. Though it was unknown to Regulus, Eliana had missed him nearly as much as he missed her. She was stubborn though and so would never admit it, let alone go back to him until Regulus admitted that he had been a git.

/Imaginary Line here/

Regulus broke off the kiss. "You're going into hiding. I can't stand to lose you, especially now."

"Especially now," her voice trailed off. Eliana was staring at her stomach. It was still normal sized. She had just found out herself. "I'll do it, okay? I don't want to though, there's too much to do. I have to be out there fighting him. Moldymort isn't going to kill himself."

"Eliana, he's powerful and it's not a joking matter. I should know."

"Calm down. If we can't joke than we've already lost. Laughter and love are the two things he doesn't have. That's going to be how we win. We all know Deatheaters have no sense of humor." Eliana had a teasing smile on her lips.

"I have a sense of humor. Want to see it?" Regulus gave her a cheeky smile. Then the mark on his left wrist burned. His eyes flickered down and Eliana's soon followed.

"It looks like I have to share you tonight. Remember what he says, I'll have to tell the Order."

"See you in a few hours El" Regulus kissed her once again. He walked out the door to the edge of the enchantments placed on the little house. Regulus dissappartated.

/Imaginary Line here/

9 months later, there was a new addition to the Scott/Black household. A newborn girl laid on the bed asleep beside her exhausted mother. Amira Raina Black had her mother's eyes and nose but the tufts of hair already sprouting out of her head were her father's black. She was very small. When Regulus first held her he had been afraid of hurting his little girl. It was agreed by both parents that she was perfect and both hoped for a world where she would be safe.

/Imaginary Line here/

It was the 23rd of December only a few days after Amira's birth and Regulus had not seen her or Eliana since. He had been on constant call with both Voldemort and his family. Regulus wasn't sure which was worse.

He was part of a masked group of Deatheaters under Bella's lead. They were on a muggle torture spree. Regulus hated it but he went to try to lessen the pain the poor Muggles felt. Bella was one to play with her food before she ate it.

They were on their 4th house of the evening. Regulus hoped it would be over soon so he could see his little girl.

Eliana was humming along to the Christmas music playing on the radio. It was the muggle music she had grown up with. Eliana couldn't understand why people ever liked that trash by Celestina Warbeck.

Eliana picked up her crying daughter and began to sing to her.

"Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace"

Eliana spun around, rocking Amira softly. She had a pretty voice but it was quiet. Eliana was about to begin the next verse when a high-pitched whistling was coming from the bedside. The sneakerscope was going wildly out of control.

Regulus was at the back of the group of Deatheaters. They headed towards a house with two of the lights on. Soft music was omitting from it, Muggle music.

"This'll be the last stop of the night. The Dark Lord awaits." Bella said flicking her wand towards the house.

Inside the house in question, Eliana was frantic. She was muttering disillusionment charms under her breath. All signs that there was anyone else in the house were disappearing. Photos of Regulus and Amira: Gone. The Crib and a closet full of baby clothes: gone. Eliana turned at last to her baby and a ceramic hand mirror. She checked first to see that Amira was still asleep before grabbing the portkey. The air did not glow. The handle did not turn blue. Something or someone was stopping all transportation to and from her house. Eliana laid Amira down in her invisible crib and cast the disillusionment charm on her 4-day-old infant. Amira squirmed uncomfortably.

"Alohomora" Bellatrix Lestrange whispered as she taped her wand on the doorknob. She yanked on the door. Nothing had changed. It was still very much locked. "Bombarda Maxima." The door exploded open.

Eliana heard the explosion. There was nothing left to do. She was just about to disillusion herself as well, when the bedroom door slammed open.

"Stupefy! Bella! The Dark Lord will be pleased. A filthy mudblood!" Alecto Carrow beckoned the group up the stairs to the stunned witch.

Regulus had never wanted to be somewhere else more. He needed to get out of the house but first he had to figure how to get the rest of the Deatheaters away from Eliana and Amira.

"I can deal with this filth." Amycus Carrow stepped around his sister and kicked Eliana's Oak with Phoenix feather wand into the far corner.

Bellatrix recognized Eliana as Yaxley flipped her over so she was no longer lying face down. "Allow me Carrow. She's an old friend Cruc-"

"Protego." Regulus acted without thinking.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Bellatrix Lestrange was livid. No one had ever stood up to her before. "Was it you Goyle?" Her voice was slipping into deadly soft tones.

While Bellatrix was fighting with Goyle and the other death eaters, trying to determine the owner of the shield charm, her cousin was trying to save the would be victim. "Ennervate."

Eliana regained consciousness. She twitched her fingers in a way that Regulus knew meant 'get me my wand' Bellatrix noticed the gesture too. As Regulus turned to retrieve her wand, Eliana began screaming from a nonverbal Cruciatus curse. Regulus looked around for the culprit.

"Bella, do you feel the mark burn? The Dark Lord calls us."

"I know that. Avada Kedavra," Bella snapped. The screaming stopped. Eliana Scott would never speak again.

/Imaginary Line here/

Regulus barely made it through the meeting. He would have skipped it all together but he needed something to use against Voldemort. Regulus needed to make him pay. He knew it was really Bella who cast the curse that took the love of his life away from him but there were others like him. The evil wizard before him was breaking families apart. It needed to stop.

Regulus then went back to the place where he had always been so happy. He saw Eliana on the floor, her red hair falling in her face, her blue eyes staring blankly. Regulus sat on the floor and pulled her into his arms.

"I'm so sorry El." Regulus tenderly stroked her face and hair. He was sobbing.

Amira began to cry. Regulus gently placed Eliana's cold lifeless body down and began to search for his little girl. "Finite Incantatem" He said sweeping his arm in the direction of her crib. Elaina's spells were reversed. Regulus picked up Amira.

He rocked her gently. "Shhhh. It's going to be alright." Regulus knew it wasn't but still he continued to repeat the phrase over and over again repeatedly. Amira seemed to calm down.

Regulus stared down at his little girl who was looking up at him with eyes so much like her mother's. He wanted to cry again but he had to stay strong for Amira.

**Author's Note: Okay. That went better than I thought it would. I know the dates are a bit messed up but bear with me. I didn't realize that Bella is supposed to be 10 years older than Regulus. So in this, Andromeda is the oldest Black sister at 6 years older than Regulus. Bella is 3 years older, and Sirius and Cissy are both 1 year older. **


	2. Chapter 1: Finding Safety

**Disclaimer: I do not nor ever will own Harry Potter or any characters or elements you recognize. They are owned by the fabulous J.K. Rowling. Now that we all know that…**

Regulus knew one thing looking at the now sleeping infant. As long as Voldemort was around, Amira would never be safe. Regulus thought of only Amira's safety and not of his own as he pulled parchment, a quill and an empty locket from his robe pocket. He began to write:

"_To the Dark Lord_

_I know I will be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I depart this world in the knowledge that one day, all will be well and everyone will be safe from you especially A. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more. _

_R.A.B._"

After penning those words, Regulus was sure he was going to die. He reviewed what Kreacher had told him upon returning back from his mission with Voldemort. Regulus had one matter to settle before marching bravely off to his death, one small pink bundled matter.

**/Imaginary Line here/**

Regulus stepped toward his cousin's house. She would surely take care of Amira. Andromeda had been so kind as a little girl. Being two years older, she was closest to Sirius but there was no one else left to trust. His parents and the rest of the Black family would treat Amira like scum because of her muggle born mother. Eliana's family was dead but they wouldn't have taken the girl in anyways; they hated magic.

He took another step. Regulus wanted more than anything to watch his little girl grow up. But she wouldn't be able to do that with Voldemort still on the loose. He was one of the only ones who knew of the Horcrux. It must be destroyed and he had to do it.

He walked past the garden. In the center of the garden was a large pond; Regulus stepped around the edges of it. He continued all the way to the front porch. Regulus lay his daughter down gently. He tucked her blanket tighter around her. Regulus placed a short letter right next to her. He disillusioned himself and then he rang the doorbell.

A round-bellied wizard with fair hair and blue eyes opened the door. "Dromeda!" the wizard yelled looking down at the welcome mat and the little girl on it.

"Ted, please be quiet! Rigel just fell asleep. You know how long it takes for him to settle down." Andromeda Tonks walked to join her husband. "Merlin's Beard! A Baby!" She asked peering at the bundle.

"Where'd it come from?"

"First, she's a girl not an it. Second, there's a note." Andromeda said slapping Ted on the arm.

Ted nodded and grabbed the letter.

_Dear Andy,_

_This is Amira Raina Black. It is my hope that you care for her like your own daughter. Her mother is dead and I'm in no fit state to care for her. Give her the love she deserves. You always were my favorite cousin. _

"It's not signed. So the question remains, where'd she come from? Do you think she's a Deatheater in disguise? I mean your family doesn't-"

"Ted, will you shut up! I'm just as confused as you are and I can't bloody well think with you going on and on," Her voice was rising as she talked.

"Bloody hormones," Ted muttered.

"We don't know who she is or where she came from. She could be a Deatheater bent on harming Dora. They could know she's a metamorphmagus. I'm not going to risk it." Her voice was almost a yell now

In the shadows, Regulus was cursing profusely.

"Dromeda, what if she is just a baby? She can't be older than Rigel, only a couple of days."

Andromeda sighed. She looked back down at Amira. The girl was beginning to shiver despite the warming charm set on her. Andromeda's heart was softening. "Bring her inside. I'm going to go check on Rigel."

The two parents and their new baby were barely inside the house when a girl with bright pink hair came tearing down the stairs. "MUM, He's crying again! How am I supposed to get sleep around here? If I don't go to sleep, Father Christmas isn't going to come."

"Nymphadora, Father Christmas makes allowances for girls with baby brothers and sisters," Ted said trying to calm down the distraught seven year old.

"Ugggh, what were you thinking when you gave me that name? It's much too long and too fancy and too hard to say and too just plain ugggh."

Ted laughed. "Now I think it's a wonderful name," Nymphadora made a face. "Now, if you're going to act like that, you're definitely not getting any toys tomorrow."

Ted held onto his eldest and steered her towards her bedroom before she could see Amira. Andromeda laid Amira gently down on the sitting room table and began checking for concealment charms or anything that proved the girl was anything but a 5-day-old girl.

Ted came back down to find Andromeda cradling the infant. "So?" He asked.

"She's fine. Though I'd be surprised if she didn't catch a cold from the weather. How'd it go with Dora?" She replied.

"I read her the Fountain of Fair Fortune. She went to sleep pretty soon after that. Rigel just needed a change. He's also asleep." He glanced at his wife. She was busy feeding Amira a bottle. "Should I go set up another crib?'

"Oh… what… Yes! Go do that!" Ted laughed as Andromeda fussed over the baby she had a few minutes ago not wanted.

**/Imaginary Line here/**

"They'll be twins." Andromeda said as she sat at the kitchen table later that night, (or early the next morning) with a cup of hot tea in her hands. She had finally laid Amira down in her new crib when Rigel had started screeching. When he calmed down, Amira began to get fussy. It was a vicious cycle she had just escaped from.

"They're close enough in age. I'd be surprised if they weren't born the same day."

"I know. It'll be easy too. Your family hasn't met Rigel yet. We were supposed to go over today. I'm not sure we can now though…And Merlin knows my family would never want to associate themselves with 'half-blood filth.'" She said the last two words both mockingly and angrily. They had been her sisters after all.

"Andy, you're forgetting one person though." Ted said as he stirred a lump of sugar into his tea.

"No I think I've got about everyone. We're in hiding after all. We don't have to tell Sirius, I mean the kid is his."

"What about Dora?"

"What about Dora? She'll be perfectly happy with a new sister."

"No, I mean Dora knows Rigel isn't a twin."

"Oh," Andromeda seemed to ponder it for a second before, "Simple Memory Charm."

**/Imaginary Line here/**

Regulus sighed. His little girl was safe for now. She had a family who loved her, a place to call home. He just hoped it was enough. Regulus disapparated from beside his cousin's window, with one last backward glance at Amira.

On the doorsteps of his childhood home, Regulus popped back into existence. Grimmauld Place was quiet. He checked to make sure his mother was asleep before he unlocked the front door. Regulus tiptoed past his mother's new portrait down towards the kitchen. He knocked upon one of the cupboard doors. "Kreacher? Are you in there?"

"Master Regulus! How may I serve you? Are you well? Kreacher thinks you look slightly ill. Maybe some pepper up potion would work well. Kreacher will get it for Master Regulus."

Regulus unconsciously ran his fingers threw his dark hair. Regulus wondered how bad he looked. He had just lost everything. Regulus figured he must look terrible.

"No Kreacher. I'm fine. I want you to take me to the cave, the one where you went to with the Dark Lord." Regulus tried to console the little elf. Kreacher was rocking back and forth.

"Kreacher will take Master Regulus." The little elf stood up and grabbed Regulus's hand before turning on the spot. The air compressed around them as they apparated to a cave high in the cliffs. Regulus bent double trying to catch his breath. Elf apparition was certainly different from his own. Kreacher took a short knife from his filthy dishtowel and was bringing it down on his wrist.

"Kreacher, don't do that you're going to hurt yourself!"

"It is necessary Master Regulus." He placed his wrist against the cold stonewall. The blood parted the wall.

Regulus followed Kreacher into the cave. Kreacher walked toward a black lake. In the center of the lake was a small island with a stone basin. Kreacher pulled a chain out of the water revealing a boat. The house elf motioned for Regulus to get in. "Thank you, Kreacher." The boat set off pulling both wizard and elf across the lake.

At last, the boat bumped into the island. The two got out on to the island. "The locket is in there, Master Regulus."

Regulus took the fake locket from his pocket and gave it to Kreacher. "Kreacher, I need you to switch the locket when the basin is empty." He conjured a goblet and went over to the basin. Regulus took a deep calming breath before, "Kreacher, I order you to leave without me. I want you to go home and never tell my mother or any of the rest of my family what I have done. "

"But Master Regulus-"

"I need you to destroy the first locket. Can you do that?"

"Yes, Master Regulus."

Regulus raised his goblet to begin drinking but he stopped. "Kreacher I need you to do one more thing."

"Anything Master Regulus."

"I need you to keep an eye on my daughter, Amira. She's at the Tonks house. But you can't tell my mother about her either."

"Yes, Master Regulus."

Regulus began to drink. He screamed as the potion touched his throat. He saw Eliana die before his eyes. Regulus drank another glass. There was Amira being tortured. "NO STOP! SHE HASN"T DONE ANYTHING TO YOU!" Another glass of potion went down Regulus's throat. Eliana and Amira's pictures were running threw Regulus's mind. Every single bad thing that could happen to them was happening and Regulus was powerless to stop it just as he had been when Eliana died. Sirius was next into his mind. Regulus watched, as Sirius was cruciated by his own mother.

Regulus screamed as Eliana and Amira appeared again in his mind's eye. He was desperately thirsty. Regulus inched toward the lake's edge. Kreacher tried to tug him back but Regulus pushed him aside. "Water! I need Water!" Regulus plunged his goblet into the black lake. A skeletal hand reached up and grabbed him. More hands shot up from the water. It was mere seconds before Regulus was dragged beneath the surface. There was a loud CRACK as a tearful Kreacher disapparated.

_Four Years Later_

"I don't want you to go!" A crying Amira was holding on to Dora's leg.

Dora tried to take a step forward but nearly fell over. She had a 4 year old on each leg. They had both been there since the family had gotten out of the car. Dora swayed precariously. She was clumsy on a good day and the twins certainly weren't helping.

"Rigel! Amira! Will you get off your sister?" Andromeda began scolding them.

"But I don't want-" began the brown haired boy.

"Her to go!" finished the black haired girl.

The two children grasped their sister tighter. It was Nymphadora's first year at Hogwarts and her siblings were dead set against her leaving. The family of five was trying to make their way to platform 9 ¾. It was happening very slowly. King's Cross Station was extremely crowded with wizards and Muggles alike. Andromeda pushed a heavily laden trolley as Ted tried to pry the twins off of Nymphadora, without any success.

"I'm fine, Dad! But if we don't get moving, I'M GOING TO MISS THE TRAIN!" Nymphadora squealed as she tried to run forward at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. She nearly made it threw before she tripped. The three children landed in a heap on the other side. Amira and Rigel quickly disentangled themselves.

A short redheaded boy helped Dora up.

"Thanks!"

"No Problem! Name's Charlie Weasly. What's yours?"

"Nymphadora Tonks," she spat out the name like it was a boogy flavored Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean, "but anyone sane calls me Dora or just plain Tonks."

"We call her Nymphy!" Amira announced excitedly.

"Amira!" Dora tried to quiet her.

Charlie laughed. "Well Miss Nymphy who is this lovely lady?"

Nymphadora glared at him.

"I'm Amira. I'm 4. I'll be five soon. My favorite color is blue and my birthday is in December and-"

"You mean _our_ birthday is in December. What type of twin are you?" He stuck his tongue out at his sister before continuing, "I'm Rigel. You have an awful lot of freckles, mister."

Nymphadora now turned to glare at her brother. "I'm sorry about them. They're typically not this bad. I don't think they like that I'm leaving."

As if on cue, the twins dropped to their knees. "NO NYMPHY! DON"T GO!"

"I know what you mean, they're about the same age as my brother Ron. Well I'll save a compartment. Find me when you solve your sibling issue." Charlie turned and left to join a mass of people with fiery red hair.

"What's the problem? I'll be home for Christmas and your birthday of course, I mean I couldn't possibly miss that." She ruffled their hair. Amira immediately started trying to fix it.

"But we're going to miss you," Rigel whined. Amira nodded her head vigorously in agreement.

"Not nearly as much as I'm going to miss you. I'll write you every day. And when I get back I'll show you all the magic I can do."

"But it'll be no fun without you. No one can make us laugh like you can. And it'll be BORING!" Amira said solemnly but yet still strongly emphasized the last word.

"I'm sure you can find something to do. I mean when you two get together you cause nothing but trouble." At this, the two twins exchanged wide grins.

"Well, you better get on that train-"

"So you teach us everything-"

"We need to know-"

"But you still better send us letters-"

"Cause otherwise we'll be mad-"

"And you know we cause more trouble-"

"When we're mad-"

"And then we can do magic-"

"So remember to tell us everything" finished the two together

"I will. I promise," Nymphadora sighed 'why didn't they act like this before'. "I love you!"

"Love you too!" The twins shouted. Several bewildered heads turned in the family's direction. Dora hugged the twins and then her parents. She made her way to get onto the scarlet Hogwarts express, but stopped when two pairs of arms grabbed her again. She sighed. Hopefully her siblings would be ready for her to leave soon. It was a good thing they had come early.

**A.N: Sorry this took so long. I was on vacation with limited computer access. I was thinking of switching to Amira's point of view next chapter. It'll be easier to write and I've covered most of the stuff from her very early childhood. What do you think?**


	3. Chapter 2: Growing Up

**This chapter is dedicated to Molly and Abby, two exceptional little ladies at the musical theater camp I have attended for 8 years now. Between them and my little sisters, this chapter got covered in childish behavior. Love you guys! **

**Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Harry Potter or his magical world. That belongs to J.K. Rowling. **

_1 and ½ years later:_

"I'm bored!" Amira sat on the floor of her bedroom. She was running her fingers, tracing out different patterns in the carpet.

"What am I supposed to do?" Rigel looked up from his sketchpad. He looked over the edge of the bed at his sister.

She thought for a minute. "So do you have any ideas?"

"You could draw."

"I'm not you! That's entirely too boring."

Rigel looking outraged picked up the quill. The room became quiet again before.

"I'm. So. Bored!" Rigel groaned. It was a feat to keep Amira quiet for any length of time. Dora had been able to do it but he certainly couldn't.

"We could play a game: Aurors and Deatheaters." Rigel set down his quill again. Sometimes he felt like he was so much older than Amira. It had something to do with the fact she couldn't stay still. She was always moving. But yet fate had decided to make Rigel a full 49 minutes younger.

"I call Aurors!" She jumped off the ground and started running for the back door.

"Hey! Wait Up!" Rigel scrambled off the bed nearly knocking the ink over. "That's not fair! I wanted to be the Aurors!" He chased after her.

Amira stuck out her tongue over her shoulder. "Well, I'm the Aurors. I don't want to be the bad guys. "

"FINE! THEN I'M NOT PLAYING!"

The vase next to Amira's head exploded. They both turned away from the spray pottery. The flowers lay limp on the table.

"Mum's not going to like that. That's the third time this week." Amira said as she tugged on a pair of pink sneakers.

"There would be less if you could control your temper!" Rigel said.

"I so can control my temper!" Amira retorted.

Rigel took a step closer. "Can not!"

"Can too!" Amira put her hands on her hips.

Rigel took another step closer. "Can not"

"Can too!"

"Can not!"

Amira put her hands over her ears. "Can too! Can too! Can too!"

Rigel unsuccessfully tried to pry her hands away, before shrugging. He placed his own hands over his ears. "Can not! Can not! Can not!"

Both twins kept repeating their phrase over and over again screaming in each other's faces. Their antics were gradually getting louder. Neither was giving up.

Andromeda put down the Daily Prophet and went to see what the problem was now. Arguments weren't an uncommon thing in the Tonks household. Sure the twins were close. They would finish the others sentences and would play together all the time. But they were almost too similar. They both wanted to do the same things and were incredibly stubborn. She found it very irritating when they fought. One second they were going at each other and the next they were skipping away happily.

"What's it this about now?" Andromeda sighed.

"It's all your fault!"

"No, its not. You're the one who blew up the vase!"

"Wait Amira, you blew up the vase? Again?" Andromeda placed her hand on the small girl's shoulders. "We're going to have to talk about learning how to control yourself."

"But Mum! If Rigel hadn't made me angry, I-"

Andromeda turned to her son who was currently trying to duck behind a fuming Amira. "What did you do?" the boy in question made no reply.

"He wouldn't play with me!" Amira pointed an accusing finger at Rigel.

"You wouldn't let me be the Aurors."

"That's cause I'm the Aurors!"

Andromeda decided to cut in. "Well you could both be the Aurors."

The twins looked at Andromeda in absolute disgust. Amira twisted her black curls around her finger in agitation. "No we couldn't. Someone needs to be the Deatheaters. The game is called Aurors AND Deatheaters."

"Well. Why don't we play Aurors today?"

Amira and Rigel shared identical looks of shock before Amira told her mother the most obvious point. "But that would be BORING!"

Andromeda smiled. That was the reaction she had been looking for. They were working together again. "Well, either figure it out or pick a different game."

"Okay Amira, I'll be the Deatheaters."

"No, I will you can be the Aurors."

Andromeda nearly face-palmed herself. Only Amira and Rigel would fight over this. "Why don't you try a different game?"

Amira nearly started jumping up and down, "Oh! Oh! I have an idea! Let's play Harry Potter!"

"Okay! Can I be Harry?"

"No! It was my idea!"

"But you're a girl."

"Well noticed"

Andromeda sighed as Amira slammed the door open and walked into the garden. Rigel quickly followed.

==,.,

_Two more years later _

"Are you sure this is safe, Nymphy?" Amira asked as she looked at the broom in her sister's hand cautiously.

"Don't call me Nymphy! And of course it's safe, first years fly brooms all the time." Nymphadora's hair turned red and grew spiky as she reprimanded her sister.

"I think Amira is just slightly worried that you might not be the best person to teach us to fly. You have an extraordinary amount of accidents with both feet planted firmly on the ground." Rigel said as if he reading a book.

"Stop it with the twin telepathy! It freaks me out!" Nymphadora shouted at them. Her hair was getting shorter and redder by the second.

"Now whatever are you talking about-" Rigel said as he ruffled his hair.

"Sister dear, we would never do anything-" Amira continued as she fluttered her eyelashes.

"To freak you out in the slightest!" They said this at the exact same time as they hugged her.

"GET OFF ME!" Nymphadora's hair was now as scarlet as the Hogwarts express. "OR I'M NOT GOING TO TEACH YOU HOW TO FLY!"

"Nymphy, when did you learn how to fly?" Rigel asked

"I mean in your letter, you said you accidently set your broom on fire when you said 'up' and they had to send you to the hospital wing." Amira explained.

Nymphadora shuddered. She had been in the hospital wing for an entire day. Her arm had been severely burned and somehow her hair had caught on fire too. It wasn't very pleasant. Thank Merlin for hair regrowing potion. "Well, Charlie taught me."

The twins' faces couldn't have been more contrasting. Rigel's was wrinkled in disgust. His gray eyes squeezed shut and his mouth looked as if he had just swallowed an extremely sour lemon. Amira's was wide with anticipation. Both twins had heard a good deal about Nymphadora's best friend and now new boyfriend. Rigel groaned.

"Ahh, that's so sweet!" Amira cooed. Rigel scowled and thought 'what is wrong with her?' Nymphadora and Amira shared a smile.

"Now, the first thing you do is hold your hand over your broom and say 'up'. Amira why don't you try first?"

"UP!" The broom sprung up into her outstretched hand. Nymphadora was surprised and a little resentful, why couldn't her broom have done that for her?

"Okay Rigel you can try."

"Up!" The broom rolled over. "UP!" The broom came to him.

"Okay, Good! Now you swing your feet over like this and you sit here. Make sure you hold on tight." Nymphadora showed them and the twins copied. "Okay so now you push off the ground."

Amira and Rigel pushed as high as they could and shot up into the air.

"Now try to follow me!"

"But we don't know how to steer," protested Rigel.

"It isn't that hard."

"Says you. Your 7 years older."

"Just try it."

"Okay!" The twins said in unison. They set off after Nymphy. She stopped in midair and turned to watch them.

"Look out!"

"We don't know how to stop!"

Nymphadora tried to move out of the way but even though the best seeker at Hogwarts had taught her, she couldn't control her broom very well. The twins slammed into her on either side. Nymphadora lost her balance and slipped into the pond below.

==,.,

_December 19, 1990_

"Rigel! Rigel!" Amira was jumping excitedly up and down on the yellow and black Wimbourne Wasps bedspread under which her brother was trying to sleep.

"Go away!" came the muffled reply from underneath the pillow.

"Wake up!" Amira now shook the half asleep boy.

"I don't want to!" Rigel picked up his pillow and tried to whack Amira with it. Amira ripped the pillow out of his hands.

"I'm pretty sure you do!" Amira held the pillow just out of his reach.

"Give it back!" Rigel reached for the pillow.

"Nope!" said Amira popping the 'p' loudly.

Rigel groaned. Amira laid her hands on her brother's shoulders.

"Don't you know what day it is?" She asked in the way one talked when speaking to a very young child.

"Don't you know what time it is?" Rigel mocked. He grabbed his pillow from his sister's grasp. "Much too early to be up!"

"Really?" Amira let out a pretend gasp. "I thought it was time to turn eleven."

"You mean we're eleven!" Rigel was up instantly.

"You're not. I am. Wait another 20 minutes and your answer will be different." She looked over at him. Rigel was hastily pulling on a short-sleeved t-shirt and jeans.

"It's December."

"I noticed."

"Good I was worried." Amira waved her hands at his attire.

"Doesn't matter. What's for breakfast?"

Amira sighed, boys and their food. "Chocolate-chip pancakes."

"Good I'm starving!"

"No you're not," Amira teased.

"Oh shut up!"

A soft tapping from the window interrupted the twins. A large formal looking tawny owl was tapping impatiently. He carried two crème colored envelopes. Amira opened the window. The bird ruffled his feathers importantly, hopped in and stuck out his leg. Rigel untied the letters.

"Thank you!" said Amira as the bird flew away. "Is that-"

"Yep, they are! This one's mine." Rigel handed her the other letter.

It looked almost identical to Nymphadora's letter except the name was different. Amira was shocked. It wasn't her name either. The letter read:

**Ms. A. Black**

**The Bedroom Second to the Left**

**18 Leyland Drive**

**Wimbourne**

**Dorset**

Turning the envelope over, her hand trembled, Amira saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H. She smiled a small smile at the badger but she was freaking out. Why wasn't her name on the letter. Rigel was running down the stairs screaming, "MUM! DAD! THE HOGWARTS LETTERS ARE HERE!"

Amira slowly followed her brother downstairs. What was wrong with her letter? Would they still let her into Hogwarts?

Andromeda was standing at the stove with a frying pan. Rigel was gibbering away about how exited he was. Andromeda turned around. "Oh there you are Amira. I was getting worried. Rigel said you got your Hogwarts letters." Amira nodded. "Is something wrong?" Andromeda asked seeing her daughter's anxious expression.

"I don't think it's mine." Amira sighed as she sat down.

"And why would that be?" Andromeda put some bacon onto Amira and Rigel's plates.

"It doesn't have my name on it. It says: Ms. A. Black"

"It's yours Amira. I'm sure. The quill must be breaking down. That's why we never use self-addressing quills they make mistakes far too often. Black is my maiden name, anyways. The letter is most definitely yours." Andromeda sighed. She didn't expect something to come up so soon. Andromeda knew eventually something would come up that showed Amira her true heritage but she wanted to keep it hidden as long as possible. Sirius Black was a mass murder, not someone you wanted your adopted daughter to look up to.

"But what if-"

"Amira, we could go all day with the 'what-ifs.' Why don't you read your letter and then we can have some breakfast."

" 'Kay Mum."

Amira ripped open the letter. It read:

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**

**Dear Ms. Black,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**

**Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall,**

**Deputy Headmistress**

"Mum, you're going to have to owl them later. I don't want to be Ms. Black all year."

"Do you have to? I would be able to pretend I wasn't related to her." Rigel asked trying to keep his face innocent.

"True. Though I think I would have the better deal," Amira replied through her laughter.

"Now, Now, settle down. I have to owl them anyways to say that you'll be attending. I'll also make sure to have them correct your name, Amira. Now eat your breakfast."

Andromeda placed two large pancakes on each plate. The twins began cutting and eating their food very fast.

"Slow down. You're going to choke." Both newly eleven year olds stopped eating and shared annoyed looks.

"But we just want to get to our presents." Andromeda sighed. Sometimes children got way too excited.

A few minutes after the twins went back to eating as fast as they possibly could, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," said Amira as she grudgingly got up to answer the door. She opened it. On the front step was Nymphadora standing in her pink haired glory.

"Nymphy, I thought you said you weren't coming. Auror training." Amira said as she threw her arms around her sister.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world."

The two sisters walked inside arms wrapped around each other. The Hogwarts letter soon lay forgotten as Amira and Rigel celebrated their eleventh birthday.

**A.N. Sorry, It's been a long time since an update. I have good news though next chapter Amira and Rigel are off to Hogwarts. I didn't know what anyone wanted so I kept it in third person. Tell me if you want me to stick with that or change to first person in a review. Which brings me to my next point. Please Review! I've had 34 people read my story but still nothing. So you know that little blue button, click it. Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 3: Pulling Pranks

**This chapter is dedicated to ILoveLuke98 and MissSadieKane for being my first reviewers. They really brightened my day. A special thanks also goes out to Blizzen, ILoveLuke98, Mehan-Smith, MissSadieKane, and sara253xxx for putting this story on alert.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not sure why I'm required to keep writing this. It's pretty obvious. I still don't own Harry Potter. Sorry! **

_September 1, 1991 (Amira's perspective)_

"Do you have the bag?"

"Of course I have the bag! Do you think I'm an idiot!"

The bag after all was the secret to our success. We couldn't prank Hogwarts very well without it. It really was the best gift Nymphy could have ever given. I sometimes love having a sister training to be an Auror. I mean who else would put a feather-light, expanding, disillusionment and concealment charm on a backpack.

"Come on, we don't want you to miss the train now," Mum yelled up the stairs.

Like we would ever miss the train. Well Rigel and I might try it one year but only if we have a really spectacular entrance, hmm.. maybe flying carpets would work.

"Coming Mum!" Rigel and I raced down the stairs, nearly tripping over each other. After all what's life without a little friendly competition?

"Let's get going! We don't want a repeat of what happened during your sister's first year." Dad muttered the last bit under his breath.

"What happened Nymphy's first year?" Rigel asked a smile growing on my twin brother's face. I know what that meant we were definitely going to try to recreate what happened.

"You two were giving us some trouble. Separation issues." Dad began as he packed our luggage securely in the trunk. I kept hold of the bag though. Merlin only knows what would have happened if the potion dumped everywhere.

"It was only Amira. Right?" Rigel asked his voice wavering.

"Nope," said Mum as she joined Dad by the car. "You were just as bad. I think you screamed about 'how today was the worst day of your life!'" Rigel's freckled face turned the color of a sun burnt tomato.

Mum and Dad told the whole story as we drove to King's Cross. I was a cute little kid but if they ever told that story to my friends, I would die of embarrassment. Rigel looked as if he wanted to curl up in a very small hole.

I decided to look through my prank bag. It really needed a better name. We'd come up with one later. I reached in careful to avoid placing my hand in the pink smoking potion. Okay rope, one of the most needed tools by any prankster. Lock pick, though I guess Alohomora works too. Sparkles. Rigel just doesn't understand these. He says they're too girly but that's kind of the point and well sparkles are really hard to get out of hair. Flour, perfect for messes. And last but not least a book: Mayhem and Marauding: A Guide to Pranking  by Professor Igonna Stink. That man's a genius; I just have no idea how he became a professor. The potions are the best part. I can't wait to try some of them. We had already cooked up one. It wasn't too hard.

"Amira! Do we have everything?" Rigel whispered out of the corner of his mouth.. Dad was telling the story of the time he found out he was a wizard. He told it often enough we knew the words by heart.

"Your grandpa was so surprised. He ordered Professor Dumbledore to leave our house this incident. He thought he was mad at first and then Dumbledore turned the morning newspaper into and let it fly away ."

"Yeah though I think we might need more flour after today."

"We could try the kitchens."

"Do you know where they are?"

"Three words Ex-plor-ng."

"You two are not going exploring after hours. Honestly what would your head of house think." Mum turned around to look at us.

"Yeah, Sprout can get rather strict." Dad has this strange idea that Rigel and I are going to end up in Hufflepuff. It made sense both he and Nymphy had been Hufflepuffs. Rigel was even named for some Hufflepuff who died during the war. I just don't think that's my place.

We drove for a while longer. Rigel and I played Exploring Snap until the cards exploded blowing off both our eyebrows and Mum confiscated the cards.

"It's just too dangerous. I don't want you getting hurt."

"Yes, Mum." We said together. Exploding Snap isn't dangerous. It's just majorly harmful to all the hair on your body.

After we parked, Dad grabbed a trolley and started walking through the station. You could tell where the wizard's were. They were almost all dressed bizarrely. Some had even come in their robes. There was a family where the mother was wearing a tutu. Rigel basically dragged me along I was laughing so hard.

"But Professor McGonagall didn't tell me how to get on the platform!"

Standing between the big plastic numbers 9 and 10 was a girl with lots of bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth.

"It's perfectly alright Hermione. We'll figure it out," said the girl's mum. She was looking around in amazement as if this was very exciting for her. It probably was; she was obviously a Muggle.

"Can I help you?" Dad asked. Rigel and I shared exasperated looks.

"Um, well,"

"It's fine dear. We know what you mean. It's your first year at Hogwarts, isn't it?" Good mum knew what to say.

Hermione nodded.

"It's Rigel and Amira's first year too. It's quite simple actually. All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. You'll have to say your goodbyes out here though. Muggles can't get onto the platform."

"My family learned that from experience. My trunk flew halfway across the station." Dad was laughing at the memory, so were Hermione's parents.

"Thank you. You'd think they might mention that in any of the books. I must have read Hogwarts, A History, at least 3 times and yet there is still no mention of how to get on to the platform." Hermione had a bossy, know-it-all sort of voice.

"Bet she's a Ravenclaw," whispered Rigel.

"I'm not taking that bet. I'd lose for sure." Honestly I couldn't see any other house quality in her.

Hermione and her parents stepped to the side. Dad gestured for one of us to go trying to avoid the gaze of a very angry guard talking to a black haired boy.

"You want to?"

"Should I?"

"There's enough room for both of you if you're quick."

That was enough for me. I grabbed the trolley and set off toward the barrier. Rigel was close at my heels. Together we entered platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

I had been her often before but the platform looked different now that I was finally going. A scarlet steam engine was still waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock like it always did. I looked behind me and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. Mum and Dad were now bustling through it and towards us. Rigel tapped his wrist. I know what he meant we would never have enough time to get to the prefect's compartment if we didn't leave soon.

"Now I want you to be good this year. No trouble. I don't need you two breaking the record for number of detentions," began Mum. This was going to be a long lecture.

"I don't think that's possible," said Dad. "They know better than to get caught." The last bit was quiet and only intended for us. I smiled. Dad knew us so well.

"Just Remember to-"

"Yes, Yes, we know. Stay out of trouble. Don't anger the teachers. Don't attack Peeves." I started listing off all the possible things she needed to say. "Don't be out of bed after hours. Practice hard. Finish your homework. Eat your vegetables. Did I miss anything?" I turned towards Rigel.

He shrugged. "I don't think so."

Mum sighed. "I was going to say remember to make friends and have fun."

"Sure you were!" We said together. Sometimes I wonder if twin telepathy is real.

Mum looked sad and slightly angry.

"Andy, it's alright. They're just excited."

"I know it's just my babies are all grownup. It was like only yesterday they were in diapers and now they're off to Hogwarts."

Ugg, this couldn't be good. Mum really worries too much. I glanced at Rigel. He's back to tapping his wrist.

"Bye Mum! Bye Dad!"

"We'll Write! I promise!"

We both pulled them into hugs. Mum gave us each a kiss and ruffled our hair. I started to fix it immediately. Rigel teases me about it sometimes but I'm a girl. I have the right to care about my hair, even if I know sometimes I'm a little obsessed with it. Dad helped get our trunks onto the train. We put them in an empty compartment before running towards the Prefect compartments.

"Good no one's in there yet." I said peeking through the window.

"We have five minutes at most though before all the pompous gits show up."

"Fair enough. Let's get to work!"

Rigel grabbed the flour from the bag. I grabbed the rope, potion and sparkles. I tied both potion and sparkles carefully to the ceiling and the door. It would spill all over the unsuspecting prefects and heads. Rigel was frantically throwing flour all over the seats and floor. The compartment could have been a winter wonderland. It would be all too easy to clean up but it still might frustrate them.

"Okay now we seriously have to get going."

I stowed the extra rope and empty canister in my backpack. We walked away as fast as we could without raising any suspicion. When we were about halfway down the train, Rigel nearly broke into a run. I caught up to him peering inside the compartment where we left our trunks. It was no longer unoccupied. Three boys were sitting inside. Two of them had flaming red hair and the other held a big cardboard box.

"So aren't you going in?"

"No."

"So now you're scared of a bunch of third years, I think. You're completely fine with pranking 5th, 6th ,and 7th years and risking a nice hexing. But yet you can't walk into a compartment with 3rd years in it."

"You go first if you're so brave."

"Gladly." I pushed open the door and walked in. "Hi! Can we join you? If not we'll just take our stuff and leave."

The first redheaded boy opened his mouth to speak but before he could say anything a series of shrieks was heard from the front of the train.

"Never mind-"

"We're staying!"

Rigel and I quickly sat down in the seats closest to the door. The boys stared at us in blank shock. "Sure, I guess." They went back to their original conversation. I wasn't really listening but I think it had something to do with the box or more the thing in the box. I was too worried the prefects would figure out it was us. We should probably have waited until after we knew where the common room was. They might not show us now. They couldn't possibly figure it out though. I highly doubt any other first years could brew that potion. Yeah, we were definitely near the bottom of the suspect list.

I finally started to relax when another redheaded boy in robes burst in. Unfortunately, he had a red "P" pinned to his chest and a mass of sparkles in his hair.

"FRED! GEORGE! I KNOW THIS WAS YOU!" except it didn't come out the way he planned it or at least I didn't think he planned it that way. Most 5th year boys don't sing opera. I couldn't help it. I was laughing along with everyone else in the compartment.

"That wasn't us-"

"I wish it was though-"

"Because who ever did it was bloody brilliant!" They spoke the last line together. I don't know how I missed it before. These too were obviously twins. I mean they're identical down to the last freckle. I noticed both Rigel and the prefect went pink at this statement but for very different reasons.

"WHO ELSE WOULD DISRESPECT AUTHORITY LIKE YOU DO! PREFECTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE. HONESTLY, TROUBLE BEFORE YOU EVEN LEAVE THE TRAIN!"

"But Percy it wasn't us!"

"LIKELY STORY!"

Rigel stood up. If he cost us the prank, he was so dead. "I'm sorry sir but-"

"Do you have any evidence? If not-"

"Please stop shouting-"

"Some of us want to be able to hear Binns the-"

"First time he drones on and on and on." Percy the prefect looked shocked. I'm not exactly sure why, it might have been how we could speak in perfect unison or that we revealed how weak his story actually was.

It took a while but he seemed to find the ability to talk again (well I guess sing due to our marvelous potion) "Fred! George! What did you do? Teaching first years to annoy me that's sinking low." We all snickered at low. The note dropped a couple of octaves.

"They did nothing of the sort!"

"Goodbye!" Rigel slammed the compartment door shut . "Honestly Amira you had to choose the one compartment with the pranksters in it. That could have blown our cover."

"Well it didn't okay!" I snapped. "Anyways we have now met the enemy."

"The enemy? Isn't that a little extreme?"

"Nope!" Everyone was staring at me. It was kind of unnerving. Rigel was staring in his usual 'how am I related to you look' but the others were looking at me in awe.

"Fred, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I think I'm thinking what you're thinking if we're thinking along the same lines."

The third boy was playing with his dreadlocks as if these exchanges happened all the time.

"Well if you're both thinking the same thing-"

"Maybe you could share with us."

The twins continued on with their antics. The other boy finally spoke, "Were you the ones to pull that prank?"

Rigel answered, "No!"

I answered, "Yes!"

"How did you do it?" asked twin 1.

"Well all we did was-" I said before I was interrupted.

"We're not telling you until we learn your names and houses."

"Fair enough, Fred Weasley, Gryffindor," said Twin 1

"George Weasley, Gryffindor," That was twin 2. Although I'm not quite sure whether they were giving their rightful names. Most likely Fred was 2 and George was 1. This could be confusing.

"Lee Jordan, Gryffindor. Do you have a name lovely lady?"

I started blushing uncontrollably but was still able to say. "No I was planning on going through the entire year by Lovely Lady." Ah sarcasm, music to my ears.

"Her name's Amira Tonks. And I'm Rigel Tonks. We're both first years so no houses yet."

"Are you cousins?" said Fred, I think.

"Nope, twins."

Now George said, "You don't look any thing alike,"

"Good that's a relief I was so worried." We both said before turning to look at each other. "Oh really?"

Fred, George and Lee were all laughing at this. "I think we should introduce you to our little brother. He's starting this year too. Ron needs some of your influence."

We followed the twins out of the compartment towards the back of the train, pulling to a stop outside a compartment with two boys sitting inside.

**A.N. I would have more but right now I have to go get my adenoids taken out. I don't know exactly how long that'll take to recover from but next chapter will be meeting Harry Potter and the Sorting. I have a poll on my profile regarding this story. Go vote! Tell me whether or not you like the perspective change. Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 4: Riding the Train

**Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, wouldn't Amira and Rigel have been in the original story?**

Fred flung open the door to the compartment. A black haired boy and a redheaded boy were talking in the corner.

"Hey, Ron." The redheaded boy looked up. "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

Sweet! That must have been what was in the box. Oh I so had to look at that later. Just imagine all the trouble we could get into with a large furry tarantula.

"Right," mumbled Ron. Ron began to chew his nails. He obviously had issues with 8-legged creatures.

"Harry," said George, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Amira and Rigel Tonks. See you later, then."

"Bye," said Harry and Ron. Fred and George slid the compartment door shut behind them leaving Rigel and I to face the unknown.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.

Harry nodded.

Wait this guy was Harry Potter! As in THE Harry Potter! The focus of many random childhood adventures! "Oh my gosh! This is so cool!"

Harry grimaced. He must get this a lot but still this is Harry Potter. I bet everyone wants to meet him. Well almost everyone, there must be a decent population who wants to kill him.

"Oh — well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got — you know…"

He pointed at Harry's forehead.

Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. It was really there. I thought it might have been a myth. 

"So that's where You-Know-Who —?" Does this boy have any tact?

"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly. It's official. He has no tact. Absolutely none.

"Well — I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."

"Wow," said Rigel. Oh great I'm losing him to the amazing and slightly irritated Harry Potter. Both boys were staring at Harry in awe.

"So, how's life?" It was an innocent question. It was also random but I wanted the staring to stop and preferably soon.

Harry looked taken aback. As though Ron had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window. Rigel gave me annoyed look.

"Err, fine I guess." Harry seemed incredibly self-conscious. "Are all your family wizards?"

"Sort-of. Dad's muggle-born. He loves to tell stories about how he found out about Hogwarts," Rigel answered for me.

"They're funny if you think about it. Our aunts and uncles thought he was going mad."

"Wow, I think so. I mean that we're all wizards. I mean Mum might have a second cousin who's an accountant but we never talk about him. I heard you had to live with Muggles. What are they like?" Ron edged forward in his seat as if this was really interesting. I mean they're just Muggles.

"Horrible." Harry said. With a look at Rigel and my faces he added, "Well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."

"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy.

"I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch."

Rigel began to crack his knuckles at the mention of Charlie Weasley. I could feel my face going red. No one could break Nymphy's heart and get away with it. He just had to go to bloody Romania.

"Now Percy's a prefect." Wait he's related to that irritating prefect! Ron is really not helping himself here.

"Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny."

That's of course just because they haven't met us yet. Oh Hogwarts be afraid, be very afraid.

"Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat." And that's somewhat depressing.

I pulled out some parchment and a quill. I'm bored and that's not usually a good thing. Okay take out the usually, that's never a good thing. Maybe Rigel can help me think of some prank ideas…or he can continue talking to Harry and Ron like I'm not here. I love you too.

It didn't matter. I could think of some all by myself. I grabbed the work of masterpiece out of my bag, Mayhem and Marauding: A Guide to Pranking. I flipped through the pages looking for something useful. Tongue-tying jinx, that could be interesting. I'd have to practice that. Quick Color Change Charm, I dog-eared the page. I'll come back to that one. I just had to find the Slytherin common room first. I know its somewhere in the dungeons, Mum mentioned it once. Limerick Potion, absolutely brilliant! I now have our April Fools Prank! Just imagine a whole day where every one else was stuck speaking in silly poetry! I wrote that down. I absolutely had to try that.

"… and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort —" Ron gasped. I involuntary shuddered.

"What?" asked Harry.

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Rigel and I together. Ron was almost talking over us, "I'd have thought you, of all people —"

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn… I bet I'm the worst in the class."

I was at a loss for words. This was Harry Potter! Harry Potter thought he would be bottom of our year! After everything he had done when he was a baby. I don't think it was possible for him to be the bottom of anything.

"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough. Dad got the highest score on his transfiguration exam in his 7th year." As usual my twin is reassuring and kind while I sit there like an idiot.

A great clattering came from the corridor. A smiling dimpled woman stuck her head in, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Rigel and I jumped up. We had each been given a fair amount of pocket money before we went to Diagon Alley. Rigel and I had pulled our allowances and gotten a fair amount of pranking supplies and extra reading books but we still had enough for some candy.

"I'll have a couple of Licorice Wands and some Chocolate Frogs, please." I paid her a couple Knuts. I found Muggle money slightly easier to deal with but it wasn't too hard.

"I'll take some Pumpkin Pasties and Cauldron Cakes," Rigel said. She handed him the individually wrapped cakes. "Thank you!" He paid her and went back inside the compartment. 

I think you can tell a lot about a person from the type of candy they eat. Someone who enjoys Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans is adventurous. Chocolate Frog eaters liked to collect the cards. Droobles Bubble Gum chewers typically were obnoxious or cared little for their hair. Those bubbles would get huge and then pop right on the back of your head. I watched Harry order some of everything and my theory went right down the drain. I helped him carry the sweets into the compartment. We dumped them on an empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?" Ron asked

"Starving," said Harry as he took a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef…"

"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on —"

"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."

"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry. He tossed a cauldron cake at Ron but the boy-who-lived doesn't have very good aim. It swerved and hit me in the head.

"Oi!" I picked up the cake and passed it to Ron. He bit into it hungrily.

"What are these?" Harry asked us. He had picked up a pack of Chocolate frogs.

"They're not really frogs, are they?" He looked slightly queasy at the thought.

"Nah! It's just chocolate enchanted to look and move like a frog. Rigel just can't get over the fact it moves. He won't touch them." I said trying to be reassuring. Rigel sent me death glares.

"See what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."

"What?" Harry looked absolutely bewildered.

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know — Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect — famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy." Wow. How'd he miss those two? I have at least 5 Ptolemy. Agrippa was the first card I ever got.

"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry peering at his card.

"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —" He tore off the wrapping incredibly fast.

Harry turned the card back over and saw, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared. "He's gone!"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her… do you want it? You can start collecting."

Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. "Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"

It wasn't weird at all I tore open one of my chocolate frogs and bit of its head. The frog "died" over and over again in my hand. I ripped off a leg and stuck it in my mouth. I could tell Rigel didn't like it. His reaction to Chocolate frogs was Nymphy's fault. She had told him they were actual frogs. He refused to ever take a bite. I had already found I enjoyed them and so wouldn't stop eating even after Nymphy tried to trick us.

I looked at the card. It was a bearded German wizard. "Ron, I got Agrippa. Do you want him?"

"Really! Oh wow! It really is him! Thanks so much Amira!" Ron looked like he wanted to hug me and I would really prefer if he didn't.

I chewed my licorice wands as Harry, Rigel and Wand tried different Bertie Botts Beans. It was amusing to watch. I had a knack for recognizing what flavor the beans were. They were Dad's favorite wizarding sweet. We had them often enough at our house.

"Uh! That's awful! Sardine!" Harry's face was so grossed out I began to laugh.

"They really mean every flavor." Rigel and I said between our laughter.

There was a knock on the door of the compartment and a round-faced boy came in. He looked tearful.

"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

When we shook our heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up," said Harry.

"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him…" He left.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk." The rat was snoozed on Ron's lap. It was disgusting.

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…"

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end. I honestly don't think it'll work as well as it should. "Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway —"

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time Hermione was with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes. She looked a lot calmer than she was this morning.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," Rigel and I exchanged looks.

"Are you sure you won't take my bet?" Rigel asked.

"Positive."

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but Hermione wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." She sat down. Ron looked startled.

"Er — all right." He cleared his throat. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

He waved his wand, but obviously nothing happened. It wasn't a real spell. I had the real spell in my book and was just dying to use it. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said Hermione. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" She said all this very fast. Someone must have had a lot of chocolate frogs to get this sugar high.

"It's not a real spell. Hi, I'm Rigel Tonks. We met this morning. You were trying to get on to the platform." Rigel extended his arm. Hermione took it and shook.

"I'm Amira Tonks." I shook her hand as well. I pulled out my wand. It already had fingerprints all over it. "I think the correct incantation is Henderirita Lacus."

Scabbers turned neon yellow. Now we so had to try it on the Slytherins. Hermione looked incredibly impressed. "Do you think you could teach me how to do that? It wasn't in any of the course books."

Naturally it wasn't in any of the course books. The teachers would have problems already with Rigel and I knowing the spell.

"Sure I can but I have to warn you, I haven't memorized the textbooks yet."

Two sighs of relief came from behind me. Harry and Ron hadn't either. Hermione turned back to them. "I'm sorry but you still haven't told me what your names are."

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Harry Potter," said Harry.

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"Am I?" said Harry. He looked dazed almost like he was going to faint.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron.

"Do you plan on being a Ravenclaw?" Rigel asked.

"No. I want to be in Gryffindor like my brothers. "Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"

"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

" You know not all Slytherins are bad right?" I asked not exactly sure what I was going on about. I didn't want to be in Slytherin. I was more just defending Mum.

"Really name one. They're all stuck up about blood purity and-"

"Our mother was a Slytherin. She married our dad who's muggle-born. A person is not defined by their house. Though I'd never want to be one." I added hastily looking at Ron and Harry's shocked faces. "Now, they're a whole bunch of idiots with bad priorities and lame insults."

We all laughed even though I'm pretty sure we hadn't met any of this year's Slytherins yet.

"So what do your older siblings do now that they've left, anyway?"

"Nymphy's training to be an Auror, you know a dark wizard catcher." Harry looked puzzled.

"They're like policeman," added Rigel.

Harry nodded his head like he knew what we were talking about now.

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles — someone tried to rob a high security vault."

Harry stared. "Really? What happened to them?"

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."

Ron said this all as if it were the simplest thing in the world, instead of a one time phenomenon.

"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.

"The Wimbourne wasps. Though they're not nearly as good after Bagman left. Wish I could have seen him play. He was supposed to be amazing. That would have been amazing. Still 3rd in the League is nothing to laugh at."

"I guess they're not too bad. I prefer the Cannons," said Ron.

I honestly didn't know why anyone in their right mind would like the Chudley Cannons. They were bottom of the league and had the worst chasers Quidditch as ever known.

"Er — I don't know any." Harry confessed.

We began describing Quidditch, all its rules and the fouls. It was the most fun I had all afternoon. Ron, Rigel and I were basically talking over each other. Harry seemed to be absorbing it fine though. We had finally reached the point where we were describing how the leagues and the international teams worked when the compartment door opened again. But it wasn't Hermione, Neville or the twins this time.

Three boys entered. A smaller blond boy stood between two incredible trolls. They were massive and looked like they didn't have a thought in their heads. The larger boys stood like bodyguards.

"Is it true?" the small boy said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the trolls. I could understand why. They dominated the compartment.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where we were looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

I had heard the name before. I just couldn't place it. I looked at Rigel. Understanding was evident on his face. I'd have to ask him later.

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford and who are you?" He turned his calculating gaze towards Rigel and me.

"Amira and Rigel Tonks." We said together standing up. We were taller than Malfoy but not nearly as tall as the oafs Crabbe and Goyle.

A look of understanding flashed on his face too. Am I honestly the only one who didn't know the connection here?

He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks. "I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys, my cousins and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

Wait I'm related to this kid! What did I do to possibly deserve this? I must have kicked puppies, babies, kittens and any other possible cute thing you could think of in some previous lifetime.

Harry and Ron joined us, standing up too. "Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you get out now," said Harry.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some." Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron — Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.

Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle — Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, my cousin and his two idiots disappeared.

Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.

"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron as he picked up Scabbers by his tail.

"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep." And so he had. The yellow rat lay curled up. It was like he never moved. "What did he mean by my cousins?"

"Oh that, " I'm not exactly sure. I looked at Rigel to explain

"Our mother's name was Andromeda Black before she married our Dad. When her family found out, she was disowned. She had two sisters, Bellatrix and Narcissa. I guess that's Cissy's boy. Bellatrix is in Azkaban still. She went searching for you-know-who after he fell, tortured some people trying to get information."

Ron turned to Hermione, who was still standing in our compartment. "What do you want?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a stiff voice "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron glared at her as she left. I grabbed my robes and headed towards the bathrooms. I had had one exciting ride.

**A.N: I know I said last chapter that I would get to the sorting but I had a lot to cover. Thanks for reading! And a special thanks goes out to sara253xxx and ILoveLuke98 for their awesome reviews as well as to all my subscribers/favoritors. **


	6. Chapter 5: Going for a Swim

**Disclaimer: I still don't own. I'm writing this for my own enjoyment.**

**Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to BookAddiction24, ILoveLuke98 and my swim-team buddies, who know that deep down we love getting up at 5 even if it is too cold to do anything but huddle on deck and shiver.**

I left the bathrooms in my brand new Hogwarts robes. The train was definitely slowing down. It jerked forward and I nearly slammed into a group of second years.

"Sorry!"

"Oh don't worry about it. It happens to almost everyone." A slender Asian girl at the center waved away my apology. She offered her arms so I could steady myself. "Well, I hope to see you in Ravenclaw."

"Really? She's dead clumsy!" Her curly haired friend whispered, or at least tried to whisper. I could hear every thing she said.

A voice echoed through the train. "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

"You might want to hurry. The first years take the boats. You wouldn't want to miss that. The views amazing!" It was the first girl again. The pack surrounding her nodded their heads in agreement. It was like they didn't have an original idea in their heads, except for the curly haired girl, who stood there her arms crossed in defiance.

I fought my way through the rush of people in the direction of our compartment to find it empty, except for Rigel.

"Harry and Ron went up ahead."

Obviously! Where else could they have gone? Its not like they could turn invisible or something like that. I mean how thick did Rigel think I was?

We joined the growing crowd in the corridor. They were all shoving their way toward the tiny, dark platform. It was an awfully cold night. The announcement really should say something about bringing a jacket. Rigel and I would have to fix that next year. Though I can guarantee that won't be the only thing we change.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there Harry?" A giant bearded man was calling. It was almost impossible to hear anything but his voice rang out over the chaos.

"There they are!" Rigel was pointing to some point inside a mass of people.

I was about to tell him that I had no idea where in the flood of first years he was pointing when I saw a flash of red hair. Aw, Weasley hair, you can see it from a mile away. Ron and Harry were at the very front of the group talking to a man that most be Hagrid. There couldn't possibly be another person on the grounds to match Nymphy's descriptions.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, all the first years followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. Rigel and I tried to push our way to the front to rejoin Harry and Ron. It didn't work well. We twice got shoved into some rather thick trees. Nobody spoke much except to scold us for being so "immature". Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffled once or twice.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!" Honestly I had never seen anything prettier in my life. Words couldn't do it justice. The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron jumped in the closest boat. By the time we reached the front, Hermione and Neville had already joined them. Rigel and I climbed into the last boat. A tall, skinny blond boy with an upturned nose came in talking to a nervous looking girl. She had her brown hair pulled up in a braid and was chewing away on her fingernails.

"There's a squid in the lake. A massive one, savage too!" The boy continued. The girl tugged nervously at her hair.

"No he's not-"

"He's rather friendly."

She looked slightly reassured.

"How would you know anyways? Its not like you've been here before!" the boy was outraged at being contradicted.

"It's not like you have either." The boy backed down after hearing us speak in sync.

"The giant squid's not anything to worry about. You hardly ever see him. I'm Amira, by the way, and that's my brother Rigel." Rigel waved in recognition.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Eloise Midgen."

"Zacharias Smith" Oh great, the idiot's back in the conversation. Well more like he became the conversation. We didn't say another word. He just started going on about how he was related to the great Helga Hufflepuff. Yeah Right! I just needed a way to shut him up. Now, how to do it? And then it hit me. Our boat was far enough behind the others so no one would know what actually happened, and it wasn't like there was anything dangerous in the lake. So, I did what any sane person would have done, I pushed Zacharias Smith into the lake.

"Amira, that wasn't a very smart thing to do. He could be seriously hurt-"

"I think it was brilliant."

We both looked at the previously quiet fidgety girl.

"It's not like he didn't deserve it. I swear if I had to hear one of his snide comments again, I was going to scream. If I had known I would never be able to leave his compartment, I'm not sure I'd have even gotten on the train."

"Next time you can sit with us," I said before Rigel continued his scolding. "We won't make it too bad."

Rigel muttered, "Emphasis on the words _too bad_. We'll probably end up blowing something up."

"Sounds like fun. I'll be sure to join you!" Eloise's face lit up. It was such a change from the nervous girl we had seen before. Smith was no longer in the water. He had swum over to the nearest boat and was talking with exaggerated hand gestures. The boys in the boat kept looking in our direction, and so I could only assume what he was talking about.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they bent their heads and the little boats disappeared through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face.

"What do you think would happen if we didn't duck?" Rigel asked.

"I think that's something we have to try." We exchanged mischievous grins.

Eloise added what I was thinking, "If Hagrid can make it under, we certainly can."

We stood standing, waiting for something to happen. Most likely, we would pass through the curtain and that would be the end of the story. But the ivy was so thick; it knocked us right out of the boat.

"What the-"

"Help!"

The water was freezing and murky. You couldn't see anything in any direction, not even your hand in front of your face. Suddenly something grabbed my ankle, and I screamed under water as I was rapidly pulled down. I tried to reach out for Rigel or Eloise but I couldn't feel anything. I kicked and tried to break free. It was like thin fingers were tugging me down into a bed of weeds. I reached down and tried to pry them off me but it wasn't working. I was frozen stiff. I couldn't move anymore. The whole world was going fuzzy from lack of oxygen. I felt darkness pushing in on me. It was all over. It didn't matter that a massive tentacle grabbed me by the waste until I shot out of the water and landed back in the boat.

"Oh my God! You're okay! I was so worried!" Rigel was shivering just as hard as I was. He pulled me into a hug. "We are never doing anything I suggest ever again."

"Yeah right! Where's Eloise?"

There was a 'thunk', as a very waterlogged Eloise landed in the boat. "It saved us. The giant squid saved us. It pushed me back into the boat!" We huddled together for warmth. The wind made things even chillier when you were soaked to the bone. I peeked over Rigel's shoulder and saw a pink tentacle raised in the air in farewell. Eloise must have seen it too because there was a small gasp from right next to me.

We reached a kind of underground harbor. Most of the other first years were already on shore. Rigel scampered up the rocky slope. I tripped over my robes. These things were extremely heavy when wet. Eloise helped me up.

"What 'appened to you lot?" Hagrid asked coming over

"Boat tipped." He looked like he highly doubted that but then didn't say anything. Hagrid didn't really get the chance. He was grabbing an escaping toad. "Oi, you there! Is this your toad?"

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then we clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. We walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. "Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad? Yer not freezing are you?"

Before Rigel, Eloise or I could answer the last question (I mean who else could he have been asking?), Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open immediately. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and my first thought was that this was not someone to cross. But my second thought concluded that however we were going to do exactly that.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was enormous. I can't believe I laughed at Nymphy when she said she couldn't go anywhere without getting lost. I'm not sure it would ever be possible to find your way around this place.The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing the door led up countless floors.

We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. It was a good thing Rigel, Eloise and I were the last ones otherwise someone would have slipped on the trail of water we were creating. There was the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be in there - but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. There was a fireplace with a roaring fire. I felt my teeth stop chattering. The rest of the first years crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done. I didn't fail to notice that they all edged away from us, trying to avoid the water dripping off our robes.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall standing in the middle of the room, between the two groups. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts.

"Or they are your family." Rigel and I whispered. Eloise giggled.

"You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points."

At this Professor McGonagall gave some pointed looks, I noticed at least half of them were at us.

"At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which somehow got fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's still smudged nose before glancing at us.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She started walking toward the door but Eloise stepped in front of her. "C-could you d-do something p-p-please? We're freezing!"

"Very Well." Professor McGonagall sighed. A rush of hot air raced from her wand.

"Thank you professor!" we chorused. It really was wonderful to be dry again. The Black Lake was not a good place for a swim.

**A.N: It wasn't what I had planned but I had this idea and I liked it better. I always liked the squid. It doesn't get mentioned very often though. I promise next chapter that I will get to the legitimate sorting but I was having a bit too much fun with the whole getting into Hogwarts process. **


	7. Chapter 6: Trying on a Hat

**Disclaimer: I still don't own.**

Even though we were dry, we could still part the crowd. It didn't take very long to reach Harry and Ron. "Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Ron was trying to explain.

A test? In front of the whole school? I'm pretty sure it wasn't a test though I wouldn't know for certain. In Nymphy's first letter, there were a bunch of ink blobs where she described the sorting. It was almost as if we weren't supposed to know, like it had been censored out. Whenever she tried to talk about it later, Mum or Dad would quiet her. It's good to know it wouldn't hurt. That was almost a fact. Fred would jinx George before he gave up the opportunity to frighten Ron.

Harry looked more anxious at Ron's comment. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. I doubt she'd need any but the one to change her hair to its natural brown after I jinxed it to make her shut-up.

I was pulling out my wand, when something happened that made me jump about a foot in the air – Eloise screamed.

"What the -?"

We gasped. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance -" That must be the Fat Friar. He used to give Nymphy a good deal of trouble. He would follow her around, writing every single thing she did wrong down. It got to the point where Nymphy went to Professor Sprout to complain and was given a week's worth of detention because of the notorious list.

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves?"

"He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind him. Rigel stood next and he tugged me along. Eloise grabbed hold of my robes and followed after me. Together we walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

It was indeed a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.

Professor McGonagall led the first years up the very center aisle, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at us looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. Hermione was whispering, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

It was almost like there wasn't a ceiling at all; the Great Hall could have just simply opened on to the heavens. Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.

I didn't want that thing anywhere near my head. It probably was infested with lice. I really didn't want to get that again. It had taken weeks to get rid of even with magic. Hopefully, we wouldn't have to try it on. Noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, I stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:

**"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,**

You're definitely not very pretty or even sanitary for that matter.

**But don't judge on what you see,**

**I'll eat myself if you can find**

**A smarter hat than me.**

Now we really need to work on finding a new hat. It would be extremely amusing to see the hat eat it self.

**You can keep your bowlers black,**

**Your top hats sleek and tall,**

**For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat**

**And I can cap them all.**

**There's nothing hidden in your head**

**The Sorting Hat can't see,**

Oh great, we did have to try it on.

**So try me on and I will tell you**

**Where you ought to be.**

**You might belong in Gryffindor,**

**Where dwell the brave at heart,**

**Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;**

**You might belong in Hufflepuff,**

**Where they are just and loyal,**

**Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil;**

**Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,**

**if you've a ready mind,**

**Where those of wit and learning,**

**Will always find their kind;**

**Or perhaps in Slytherin**

**You'll make your real friends,**

**Those cunning folk use any means**

**To achieve their ends.**

**So put me on! Don't be afraid!**

**And don't get in a flap!**

**You're in safe hands (though I have none)**

**For I'm a Thinking Cap!"**

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

I doubt the teachers would let first years take on a troll. Most kids would probably panic and freeze up.

Harry smiled weakly.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. I saw the Fat Friar waving merrily at her. If they still had me listed under the wrong name, I would be next. I took a deep breath before,

"Bones, Susan!"

Good it wasn't me. Mum seemed to be able to fix whatever the issue was.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Fred, George and Lee were catcalling. Professor McGonagall shot them a very angry look, her lips pursed into a thin line.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin.

I didn't have anything against Slytherins. I really couldn't after Mum was one but they looked like an awfully unpleasant lot.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" He better be a good kid. Teachers typically called students by their last names and his was a real mouthful.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. Rigel nodded in her direction. "You sure you don't want to take my bet?" "No way!"

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned. Rigel looked relieved and I was frustrated.

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR,"

Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now. "Midgen, Eloise."

Eloise took a deep nervous breath. She looked on the verge of hyperventilating. I gave her hand a squeeze. Eloise gave me a thankful look as she made her way to the stool. The hat slipped over her eyes, opened its mouth and shouted,

"Hufflepuff!"

The list continued on. "Nott"

"Parkinson"

A pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" somehow got placed in two separate houses. I began to worry. What would happen if Rigel and I were separated?

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

The whispering had finally reached a stop when

"GRYFFINDOR!"

It was like something exploded. Harry set down the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. It was the loudest cheer yet. Percy the meddling Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff we'd seen earlier. The ghost patted his arm and Harry grimaced. He looked back up at us. I gave him a smile and a thumbs up. He smiled and returned the sign.

We continued on until "Smith, Zacharias" became a Hufflepuff. I swore under my breath. There was no way I could stand 7 years in the same school as him, let alone the same house. "Thomas, Dean," a black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table.

"Tonks, Amira." Rigel pushed me towards the stool. I no longer felt brave looking at the hat. I closed my eyes to avoid the leering older faces. I let the hat slide over my eyes.

"Hmm. Interesting. I haven't had a Black in a while." Said a small voice

"What? Who said that?"

"Ah, I guess we can rule Ravenclaw out. Not too bright-"

"Hey!"

"You'd also cause too much trouble there."

"Thank you! Thank you very much!"

"I'd say Hufflepuff. You have strong loyalties but there is the issue of a certain Zacharias Smith."

"Yep, that might be a problem."

"That brings us back to bloodlines. Slytherin and Gryffindor. Ambition and Courage."

"How are we down to blood lines? Dad was a Hufflepuff."

"Your father was a cunning man. But I see that you're more like your mother. I always liked her. She used to stop in and visit. "

"Are you sure we're thinking of the same people here? Mum never mentioned you-"

I was cut off by the hat yelling, "Gryffindor!" I slipped off the hat and handed it to Rigel. "That hat's messed up." He raised his eyebrows like I wasn't speaking English. I doubt it made much sense. I walked to Gryffindor table and sat between George and Lee.

"And so the Lovely Lady joins us!"

"Oh shut up and watch your brother," Rigel said as he squeezed in between George and I.

It was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Fred and George had their fingers crossed under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

I clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to Harry.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley Pompously across Harry as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin.

Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

The golden plates were empty set on the tables were empty. I felt my stomach rumble.

"When do we get to eat?" I asked. The candy seemed ages ago.

"Soon squirt."

"Why are you calling me squirt?"

Fred shrugged and pointed toward the head table.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see us all here.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered.

"Wow! That was-" I began.

"Weird!"

"Bizarre!"

"Mad!"

"Odd!"

"I was going to say interesting. Do you have anything planned for later?"

"Nah! We lull the teachers-"

"Into a false sense of security. Can you pass the potatoes?"

"But there aren't any." Rigel nudged me. I looked down at the previously empty table.

The dishes were now piled with food. I had never seen so many delicious things together before. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

I took a bit of everything including the humbugs.

"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak,

"Can't you -?"

"I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you - you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted. "Like this," he said irritably.

He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."

The Slytherin table had a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with what could only be silver blood.

"How did he get covered in blood?" I asked. It was everywhere. It seemed that some of the silver substance was even dripping on to the floor

"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding - "

I grabbed some apple pie. The food here really was delicious. At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins. New admiration welled up inside me.

"You've been to the Forbidden Forest?"

"Yeah, we'll take you there sometime if you like."

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

"Is that a new rule?" Rigel asked.

Fred nodded. "I wonder if this has anything to do with what happened last year. What'd do you think George?''

"Nah! Flitwick was able to get that cleaned up right away."

"What happened last year?"

"Doesn't matter. We're about to sing the school song."

There's a school song. No one ever mentioned anything about a song. "What's the tune?"

"Funeral March."

Lee nodded up towards the staff table. A teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin was giving us menacing glares.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. The other teachers' smiles became rather fixed.

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, it was only Rigel, the Weasley twins and I left singing along to our very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when we finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

We followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. I had tried to follow the twins but the prat strode up and sheparded me out of the hall, saying it was "his duty to the school." We walked past paintings that we're all staring at Harry in awe. One irritated looking witch glanced at me and said, "It's like they're back again." I had no idea what that was supposed to mean. I contemplated this and nearly missed that twice Percy led us through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. We climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging our feet the entire way, when we came to a sudden halt.

A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves - show yourself"

A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.

"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"

There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross- legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.

"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

He swooped suddenly at them. Everyone around me ducked, Peeves swerved around me and went crashing into a suit of armor.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy. Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head.

He zoomed away, rattling coats of armor as he passed. I had a very strong feeling that Peeves and I would get along just fine.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as we set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. We all scrambled through it - Neville needed a leg up - and found ourselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. Rigel and I said our good nights and went in opposite directions. At the top of a spiral staircase, there were five four-poster beds hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Our trunks had already been brought up. I didn't want to talk much to the giggling girls in my dorm. I simply pulled on my pajamas and closed the curtains around my bed for the night.

**A.N. A Special thanks to BookAddiction24 for her review.**


	8. Chapter 7: Getting Directions

**Disclaimer: Nope still own nothing.**

Morning came fast. I woke to sunlight creeping around the curtains of my four-poster. I ripped them open. I was the only one left in the dormitory. They must have already left for breakfast. I pulled on clean robes before heading down to the common room.

It was virtually empty except for some 5th years frantically trying to finish summer assignments. I just started making my way over to them when…

"Hey Amira! You're still here! We only have a half hour until breakfast! And Neville only just woke me up!" Rigel sounded frantic and with good reason. We had to be in the Great Hall to get our schedules and the food was honestly too amazing to miss. I doubt we could even find the great hall in 30 minutes.

I ran back upstairs and grabbed my backpack, now holding my textbooks, before throwing the portrait door open.

"That's right just throw me around. Honestly, no respect these days," the Fat Lady muttered.

"It won't happen again," Rigel replied as he caught the swinging portrait and closed it gently.

"Oh look Violet! I finally have a gentleman in my house." The Fat Lady said to one of the neighboring portrait. The girl in the portrait batted her eyelashes. Rigel's face went a bright red.

I really couldn't waste the opportunity. It was too perfect. "Well, little gentleman, if we're going to eat something, we have to get going."

The color deepened. But instead of turning to follow me, Rigel continued talking to the admiring portraits. "Do either of you know how to get to the Great Hall from here?"

"It's just down those stairs sweet heart. It's impossible to miss." Rigel's face was doing a brilliant imitation of a tomato.

We took the stairs two at a time. After running for ages, I came to the conclusion that we some how missed it. The conclusion was furthered by the fact that I was now staring at a blank stonewall.

"We're lost." Rigel panted.

"Thank you Captain Obvious." I checked my watch. We had 20 minutes. There wasn't a soul in sight, either living or dead. The corridor was lined with windows and doors; so there were no more portraits to ask for direction. Though I'm not sure I would follow what they did tell us because it worked so well the last time.

We wondered down corridors, hoping to find someone, anyone. Never mind maybe not anyone.

"Oooooh Ickle Firsties wandering round dark scary hallways." The poltergeist teased.

"Peeves, can you tell us how to get to the Great Hall?" Trust my brother to ask for directions. Peeves would probably send us off in the wrong direction anyways.

"Maybe I can. Maybe I can't. Why do you want to know?"

"We just want to-"

"Annoy Filch." I cut in. It was the only reason I could think of that Peeves might actually listen to.

He appeared to think about it but his eyes sparkled with mischief. "Follow me!"

Peeves whizzed down the corridor. Rigel and I began to run again, chasing after the possibly dangerous ghost. To my surprise, we actually ended up at the Great Hall.

"Thank you," Rigel and I said.

"Now what are you going to do?" Peeves leaned against the doorway.

"I have a plan." Rigel lied.

Peeves seemed to get more excited.

"Just let us eat something first."

Before Peeves could answer, we made a mad dash for Gryffindor table. We were actually able to eat some eggs and sausage before all the food disappeared again. Professor McGonagall handed out our schedules. We had History of Magic, Charms and Herbology. Peeves started making rude gestures at us and I doubt we would be able to leave without pranking Filch.

Fine, if that was the way he was going to play it. I drew out my wand and pointed it at Filch. With a flick, Filch stood there in a pink fluffy bunny suit. I glanced at Peeves. He was giving me gleeful smiles.

"Come on," I said. Rigel was staring at my handiwork.

"That was awesome."

"I'm so glad you approve. But we better hurry up, we wouldn't want to miss History of Magic."

I almost wish we had. History of Magic has to be the most boring class ever invented. The teacher, Professor Binns was a ghost who droned on and on. There was only one good thing about it. We had it with the Hufflepuffs. Harry, Ron and Rigel sat in the seats in front of us. They all appeared to be asleep. Eloise and I tried to take notes. After about five minutes, it was apparent that it was a lost cause. The rest of the class was more enjoyable. Passing notes, I learned a lot about Eloise. She was an only child, a muggle-born, her parents were divorced and she lived with her dad. Eloise loved the old fairytales and would question me about what actually existed. It lasted until the end of class.

"So there really are unicorns?"

"Yeah, I think there might be some in the forest."

"What do you have next?"

I pulled out my schedule. "Double Charms"

"Oh, I have Transfiguration."

"I'll see you later then."

"Yeah, see you."

I sped up to catch up to Rigel, Harry and Ron.

_. /. /. /. /. /. /. /. /. _

The rest of the week was uneventful. Charms was taught by Professor Flitwick, who was absolutely tiny. I rather liked Herbology. Professor Sprout told us all about magical plants, fungi and their uses. The kajid plant would be handy. It was supposed to cause extreme boils. Professor McGonagall gave us a lecture before we did anything else.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

She turned her desk into a pig and back again. I was so excited to get started. Think of all the trouble we could cause by changing the beds into rampaging animals. And then, we took a bunch of complicated notes. I'm not very good at transfiguration. By the end of the lesson, my match was charred and blackened.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was a big joke. The classroom was dimly lit and smelt strongly of garlic. It was supposed to ward off a vampire from Romania, though I'm not sure why anything would want to attack Professor Quirrell. He was small and fidgety. A strange smell came from his turban. It was almost like something had died in there. The turban was supposedly from some African prince as a thank you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie. I really doubted it though, especially after Rigel asked how he fought it off. Quirrell had gone pink and started talking about the weather.

Peeves was more than willing to help us get to class. It seemed that all you had to do to befriend the poltergeist was prank Filch in the middle of the Great Hall. I even convinced him to follow Malfoy around pelting him with pieces of chalk.

Between Fred, George, Lee and Peeves, Rigel and I knew are way around the school by Friday. We were able to make our way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.

"What have we got today?" Harry asked as he poured sugar over his porridge.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them-we'll be able to see if it's true."

"I think he just hates them less. They're the lesser of four evils in his mind." Rigel said

I spread marmalade on my toast. Whatever the reason, I still think I'd rather not have to deal with a biased teacher.

"That could be. Still Wish McGonagall favored us though." Harry said.

Despite being the head of Gryffindor, she still gave us a horrendous amount of homework the day before.

"Mails here." I said glancing up at the swarm of owls flying into the Great Hall. I scanned the pack for a large gray one. I didn't see it but I did see a beautiful snowy white owl soar down and landed in front of Harry. He looked genuinely surprised to see she had a letter. He tore it open at once.

I was able to read over Harry's shoulder. The letter was written in very untidy scrawl:

Dear Harry,

I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us at answer back with Hedwig.

-Hagrid

"Do any of you have a quill?" Harry asked.

I handed him mine. He scribbled _'Yes, please, see you later_.'

"Can we come?" I asked. Rigel sent me a look saying quite plainly stop being so rude but he looked just as eager to meet Hagrid as I was.

"I don't see why not."

I hate potions, absolutely hate potions. Well, maybe I don't hate potions. They can be rather useful at times. But I hate Professor Snape and the feeling is mutual.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.

Professor Snape began with roll call. He paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new-celebrity."

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands until I sent them a glare. Snape continued on with the roll call. He paused again when he reached my name.

"Amira Tonks," he sneered. His cold black eyes locked on mine. They glimmered with something. It almost looked like vengeance. I made a mental note to ask Nymphy what she did to get on the potion master's bad side.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. Snape spoke in barely more than a whisper, but we caught every word. No one wanted to give Snape an excuse of detention. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that crept through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. . . . I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death-if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

It was almost a good speech until the dunderheads bit. That was just insulting.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Mum's a healer for St. Mungos. Of course I knew what the Draught of Living Death was. She hated giving it to patients but it would put them into a long enough sleep to heal. I raised my hand. Maybe Snape would treat me decently if I wasn't one of his usual 'dunderheads.'

"I don't know, sir," said Harry.

"Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut – fame clearly isn't everything.

Snape ignored Hermione's, Rigel's and my hands.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Easy, stomach of a goat. Bezoars were cool too. They were the antidote to basically every poison. I might need one after what I attended to do. I pulled out a sheet of parchment. I wrote "STOMACH OF A GOAT" on it in large letters. I passed it to Rigel, who gave it to Ron, who tried to angle it so Harry could see it but it was out of Snape's view. Ron failed.

"Well what's this?" said Snape grabbing the parchment.

Harry calmly (or as calming as you could with an angered potions professor in front of your desk) said, "My answer, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter? Going to rely on your classmates to do your work for you?"

"No, I-"

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

That's a trick question. They're the same plant. I think there's another name for it too. I'm not sure but I'm pretty sure it starts with an 'a'.

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"

A few people laughed. Snape looked deadly. I wanted to run and find my bezoar before he could try anything.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a person make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

Because you didn't tell us to.

"And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter and 20 from Miss Tonks for attempted cheating"

It didn't improve at all. I was paired with Rigel to make a simple potion to cure boils. Snape then swept around the room like an overgrown bat, watching us weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, commenting on our many apparent faults. It was rather unnerving. I was surprised an accident hadn't happened already.

I spoke too soon. Neville somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob and their potion was seeping all over the floor. It burnt holes in people's shoes. I jumped on my stool trying to avoid the steaming potion. Poor Neville had angry red boils all over his body, where the potion had spilt.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking it off the fire?"

Neville whimpered. The boils on his nose burst spraying the room with pus. I blocked it with my copy of Magical Drafts and Potions.

"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on us.

"Potter, why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? Not that you would be able to do anything without Tonks passing you instructions. That's another 5 points the two of you have lost for Gryffindor."

That was so unfair. I meant to lunge at Snape but Rigel restrained me. "Don't it'll only cause more trouble." As if to prove Rigel's point, Snape sent me a chilling glare. The rest of the hour dragged on slowly and painfully.

**A.N: Hey everyone updates are going to be kind of sketchy for a while. My family is currently driving halfway across the country to Myrtle Beach for Dance Nationals. (We're stopped at a hotel in Asheville, NC.) This is good news and bad news. The good news is that I'll have ample time to write with the 20+ hour drive. The bad news is that I'm not sure when I'll have Internet access again. So just be warned. **

**Thanks as always to my lovely reviewers MissSadieKane and BookAddiction24. Honestly what would I do without you guys? **

**By the way, MissSadieKane has a really awesome story about Regulus. He gets sent back in time by his mother and is raised by the Grangers. It's called Finding Family****.**** You should really go check it out. **


	9. Chapter 8: Following the Rules?

**I'm back and Nationals are over. What a relief! It went well though. Everyone from my studio got called back for the "Big Show" due to our awesome production line, **_**Falling Whistles**_**. **

**I also saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II at the Midnight show. I really liked it but I missed Neville's big moment in the book. It was so much better than what they showed. Oh well, you can't have everything. It was hilarious though because there were these two old ladies next to me who hadn't read the books. I started crying when Snape died and they were giving me all these funny looks. **

**Anyways, updates are going to get better. I promise. So now on with the story, I've wasted enough of your time with this long author's note:**

**Disclaimer: Same thing, don't own, don't sue.**

At five to three we left the castle and made our way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.

Harry knocked. There was soon a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "_Back_, Fang —_back_."

Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open. "Hang on," he said. "_Back_, Fang." He let them in, trying to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who nearly knocked me over as he jumped up to lick my cheek. It was unbelievably wet and sticky. Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked or as his name suggested.

"This is Ron, Rigel and Amira" Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate. The rock cakes looked as if they were actually made of rock.

"Oh, it's you two, eh? Didn't expect you make 'n friends with a bunch a troublemakers, Harry." Hagrid said glancing at Rigel and I.

"Trouble? Us?" I fake gasped, trying my best to look greatly insulted.

Hagrid let out a laugh and turned to Ron. He looked at the mass of freckles and red hair. "Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, "I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

Fred and George have earned my respect.

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins and possibly pieces of granite mixed in. We pretended to be enjoying them as we told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang was looking slightly dejected after I pushed him away from me. My robes already stuck to me from his slobber and there was only so much I could take. But he looked happy over on top of Harry, even if Harry wasn't too thrilled about it.

"I rather liked what you did to that old git."

"Filch?" Rigel asked. I tried to remember if we pranked anyone else.

Hagrid laughed again. "Of course, Filch. Him and that nasty cat."

Anyone who can insult Filch and Mrs. Norris is certainly a friend of mine.

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it."

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.

"But he seemed to really hate me."

"Harry, he treated me just as badly." I decided to put in. It might cheer Harry up or at least get an answer out of Hagrid.

"Fine, he hates you too."

"Rubbish! Both of you!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"

Hagrid didn't quite meet either of our eyes when he said that. It was obvious that he was lying.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot — great with animals."

Anyone could tell Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons,I took breaths trying to calm down. Nymphy had had the largest crush on Charlie Weasley all of 6th year. It was almost like they were made for each other, best friends and all. Every single letter home mentioned Charlie. Seventh year, they began dating. Nymphy was so thrilled. Her letter had almost 50 exclamation points. Rigel and I teased her about her "Prince Charlie" and "getting married." Nymphy would scold us but smile like she really liked the idea. Then, he left for Romania and Nymphy started Auror training. Charlie said they just fell apart because of the distance. But he was the only one who felt like that. Nymphy was still head over heals in love. Nymphy was heartbroken. She had cried all night. I was not wiling to forgive him easily and if I ever met Charlie Weasley, things might not end too well.

"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

There was no doubt about it; Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted and offered him another rock cake. I reached over Rigel's shoulder and grabbed the newspaper clipping.

_**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**_

_**Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.**_

"_**But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes goblin this afternoon.**_

Harry's birthday was on July 31st. It seemed almost like minor information compared to the rest of the article but it was the thing that stuck out in my head. My friend's birthday was on July 31st. I was almost disappointed. I was looking forward to throwing a party in the common room. (Don't judge. I was the type of person who took the time to decorate friend's lockers while we attended primary school. I found it so much fun. ) Summer birthdays are such killjoys.

We walked back to the castle for dinner. Our pockets hung heavy with rock cakes we would never eat. Tea with Hagrid had been interesting, more so than some of our classes. It had also showed that Snape definitely had a reason to hate me.

"What are you doing here?"

"I thought ickle first years avoided Filch's office."

Fred and George were looking at us questioningly. I have to admit it must look strange. I couldn't think of another person who would willingly look at the list of banned equipment on Filch's door. I didn't count Percy because he did many things that baffled everyone.

The list was surprisingly short and missed some very key points. Not that I'm complaining of course.

"If we don't know what's illegal-"

"Then we don't know what we can and can not use."

Hypothetically Rigel and I could cause as much mayhem as we wanted with for example, water balloons, and not get in trouble because they were not on the list of banned substances.

"Brilliant! Forge, why didn't we think of that?"

"I'm not sure Gred. I was fairly certain we knew every possible way to annoy old Filchie."

"Old Filchie? Really? You couldn't think of anything better than that?" That earned me a mock glare from Fred.

"Like you could do any better!"

"I don't know what about-" I shared one glance with Rigel willing him to remember our conversation with Hagrid.

A grin spread across his face and he nodded.

"Old Cat Obsessing Git?" We said together trying to keep our faces as innocent as possible. From the twin's expressions, it didn't to work.

I sat in the common room later the next week. Rigel was talking to Harry and Ron about who knows what. It was after hours and so I couldn't really talk to Eloise. Fred and George had disappeared a while ago. Hermione was reading Hogwarts A History. Though I'm not really sure I would want to talk to her anyways. When I talked to her, I always felt so inferior like I would never be able to learn as much as she already knew. I don't think Hermione meant to do it but I just felt uncomfortable. I had no intent of going over and talking to my other dorm mates. Lavender and Parvarti were giggling and pointing at something in a book. How immature, not that I could really be talking.

All in all, I was bored and boredom wasn't the best thing for me. Well I'm not sure it was the best thing for anyone. I thought for a moment. Then an idea hit me. Rigel and I promised to write home and we hadn't written a single letter.

I pulled out two pieces of parchment, a quill and some color changing ink.

The first one I addressed to Mum and Dad. I wasn't really sure what to say. I didn't want to receive a howler for- well I guess a lot of things. I sighed. I would just keep it short.

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_Hogwarts has been wonderful. Rigel and I are Gryffindors. (Ha! Dad you were wrong!) I'm not sure if he's written you or not. Right now, Rigel is talking to Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. And I mean THE Harry Potter! We met them on the train. They sat in our compartment. _

_We also met a certain thin-faced blond ferret. Draco Malfoy was very irritating and insulting. Though he really isn't anything compared to Zacharias Smith. Smith is a Hufflepuff with rather non-Hufflepuff tendencies. He was on our boat when we crossed the Lake. He was trying to freak out Eloise Midgen. She's a muggleborn and didn't really know much about Hogwarts. Eloise is really nice and I think we're going to be really good friends. _

_I really hate Potions. Professor Snape is so biased. He also takes pleasure in the mistakes of his students. Snape seems to have a grudge against Harry and me. A pretty bad one too. _

_Well, I should probably get to bed. It's getting late._

_Love, _

_Amira _

_P.S. Mum, the sorting hat seemed rather fond of you _

I grabbed the second sheet and then a third. I wrote basically everything down. I knew Nymphy wouldn't tell Mum anything and most likely would be proud of us, especially with Filch and the bunny suit, not to mention, Smith and the giant squid. I left out only one thing: My conversation with the sorting hat. It was too private and just plain too confusing.

**A.N: This is definitely not my best chapter. It's too similar to the book and well kind of boring. I hope the next chapter makes up for it. I got a question about Rigel's name. I'll give a quick explanation. Rigel is named after the 6****th**** brightest star in the sky, going along with Black tradition. It's the brightest star in the constellation Orion. (You can thank my science teacher for the name. Mr. Johnson had a really awesome diagram of the stars, which included Rigel.) His name is pronounced with a long i. Think of it like this, it's the name Nigel with an R instead. I hope this helps (or at least makes sense). **


	10. Chapter 9: Learning How to Fly

**Disclaimer: I'm going to tell you a little secret: Harry isn't mine. Neither is most of the other stuff I write about. After all this is **_**Fan**_**-fiction.**

"But how am I supposed to learn how to fly?" Eloise was freaking out. I probably would too if our situations were reversed but still flying was nothing to worry about.

"Madame Hooch is supposed to be really good. Anyways you'll be learning with the Ravenclaws. They're not going to be that bad. I'm stuck with the Slytherins. Can you hold this?"

Eloise held the pot still as I fought to stuff the shrub into it. Every time I got close, it would squirm and wriggle in my hands. It reached out a feeler and tickled me in the stomach. I dropped it and it nearly hit the green house floor. Eloise practically threw the pot to get it underneath in time. Professor Sprout gave us a disapproving look but didn't say anything. She was too busy trying to get Hannah Abbott to start breathing normally after the tickling tenirous plant had well done as the name implied. You could almost say the plants were dangerous. Many people underestimated the sinister power of tickling.

"But I mean basically everyone already knows how."

I couldn't really deny that. A lot of the people from magical families were talking about Quidditch and flying basically the entire time since the notices were pinned in each common room. My idiot of a cousin talked about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. I doubt he could even fly.

Rigel had been complaining about his dorm mates. They all were very competitive each trying to make it sound like they were professional Quidditch players. If Seamus Finnigan was to be believed, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Ron and Dean got into the most ridiculous argument over soccer. Ron just couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Neville seemed to be the only one who hadn't been on a broom before. His Gran felt it was too dangerous.

"Not everyone. Anyways, I bet some of them don't even know how to fly properly. Sure they can fly but maybe some of them can only fly in circles."

"That'd be an interesting sight," Eloise laughed.

"Oh, but it gets worse. My sister accidently let herself on fire." I said.

Eloise's expression changed dramatically. "I bet that's what happens to me."

Oh no, I made it worse. "Nah, my sister is just incredibly talented at causing disaster. Mum says it's the only reason she's sure we're related. No one else could possibly become a blowtorch like Nymphy; even Madame Hooch was surprised. You'll be fine."

Eloise seemed to calm down a bit but she still looked frantic. "I'm sorry. I'm just-" the rest of her reply was impossible to hear.

"What?"

Eloise spoke just slightly louder. "I'm afraid of heights."

"Well, you don't have to go very high. Some people don't even let their feet completely leave the ground."

I looked at her. She didn't seem any calmer. I rushed on, "Maybe you could just talk to Madame Hooch and you could get out of it."

"Maybe…"

"Well, that'll be all today. Make sure to put your pots on the back counter. I want a foot long essay on the defenses of a plant of your choice." Professor Sprout dismissed us.

"Good Luck then," I whispered. Eloise nodded. 

At three-thirty that afternoon, all the Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance. There couldn't be better flying conditions.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Fred and George Weasley complained about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left. I really didn't doubt this. Old brooms were often temperamental.

Madame Hooch arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

I glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted.

My broom leaped into my hands. Rigel's did too but there weren't many others. I noticed Harry looked surprised and delighted at the broomstick in his hand.

Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Maybe Neville was afraid of heights too. There was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground.

Madame Hooch then showed us how to mount the brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. She even went as far to say that Malfoy had been doing it wrong for years. I rushed to cover my laugh with a loud cough. Harry and Ron turned toward me both with smirks bright on their faces.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madame Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two "

But Neville pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle — twelve feet — twenty feet. Neville's face was white. The broom jerked around more. Madame Hooch just kept yelling at Neville to get down but it was obvious he had no idea how. She hadn't taught us yet. If someone didn't help him, Neville was going to fall.

I pushed off.

"Get down, girl! We don't need two people stuck up there!" Madame Hooch yelled.

Air whipped threw my hair and robes. It was a wonderful sensation. I edged my broom closer to Neville's. It was harder to control than my own broom. The broom always seemed to want to zigzag.

"Neville, can you climb onto my broom? I'm going try to get us both to the ground."

Neville shook his head.

"Okay! Okay! Can you take my hand? Maybe we can get to the ground this way."

Neville reached out and nearly fell out of the sky. He slid over the edge but I was able to catch him before he hit the ground. I couldn't hold on to him for very long though. The weight really was too much. I needed help. If someone didn't come soon, I was going to drop Neville and most likely fall off my broom too.

I could feel the stares of my classmates but no one was coming. The weight on my arms seemed to lessen. Another broomstick was in the air next to me.

"Amira, go down. I've got his feet."

I'd never been happier to see Rigel in my life. Neville lay petrified between us. I held his arms. Between the two of us, we could probably get Neville to the ground safely.

"We're going to have to do this gently. Any sudden movements and we could drop Neville. "

"I know. I know." Wow he's easy to irritate.

We were only about 5 feet away from the ground when a sudden wind picked up. The school brooms swerved terribly. I'd be fine on my Comet 240 but this stupid thing wouldn't work. The wind picked up. No matter how hard we pushed to go down, all we did was go slightly to the left. The gust sent Rigel soaring in the other direction leaving Neville's full weight in my hands. It was too much. Neville began to slip. I tried to tighten my grasp but he was wriggling uncontrollably. And finally…

WHAM — a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay face down on the grass in a heap.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. "Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get."

"Now that was an extremely foolish thing to do. You could have been hurt. But take 5 points each for minimizing the damage." Madame Hooch said to Rigel and I. She turned to the rest of the class. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him. He looked over his shoulder and gave us a grateful grimace. It was good though. I bet the Matron would be able to heal him in a couple seconds.

Malfoy burst into laughter. "Did you see his face, the great lump?" The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil. Maybe that girl wasn't all that bad. I

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a pug-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought _you'd _like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Parkinson, do us all a favor and go back to whatever pound you escaped from." She looked genuinely insulted by my comment. So insulted, that she was at a loss for words and just stood there and glared at me.

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's Gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up. I was almost positive it would turn red. Malfoy had forgotten several things including manners, politeness and some good insults.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.

Malfoy smiled nastily. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find — how about — up a tree?"

He is such a- hmm I probably shouldn't use that type of language.

"Give it _here_!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off.

Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom.

"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move — you'll get us all into trouble."

"TAKE HIM DOWN HARRY!" Rigel and I shouted.

Harry ignored her but gave us a small smile. He kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; Harry had a lot more control over the school broom than I did. Maybe if I were as good as him, I wouldn't have dropped Neville.

Harry pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and making Ron give an admiring whoop in my ear.

He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned. Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.

Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. Parvarti and Lavender was clapping enthusiastically. By the look on Dean's face, he had realized just how fantastic flying and Quidditch were.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground. The Slytherins ran over to him and Pansy broke off her glare to ask, "Oh Draco, are you okay?" in a sickingly sweet voice like poisoned honey.

The Remembrall started plummeting to the ground. Harry leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down — next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball. He was going to crash. There was no way he could catch that. I'd seen professional players fail dives like that. Harry was going to break his next. Many people were screaming and I wasn't sure if I was one of them. Harry stretched out his hand — a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist, making the best catch I had ever seen.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Oh no! Professor McGonagall was running toward us.

Harry got to his feet, trembling, and I found my self unconsciously taking a step away from the thin-lipped teacher.

"_Never_— in all my time at Hogwarts —"Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "— how _dare _you — might have broken your neck."

"It wasn't his fault, Professor —"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil —"

"Yeah, it's all the idiot's fau-"

"Language, Miss Tonks."

"But Malfoy —"

"That's _enough_, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

Harry Potter turned and walked toward the castle followed by a scary angry transfiguration teacher, about to be punished for the coolest thing I had ever seen.

**A.N. Thanks for all the reviews I've been getting. They're really wonderful. I should have the next chapter up soon.**


	11. Chapter 10: Exploring Secret Passageways

**Disclaimer: It's quite obvious I don't own Harry Potter because otherwise I wouldn't have stayed up until 3 in the morning to gain early access to Pottermore.**

"You're joking." Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he seemed to have forgotten all about it. Even I knew though I had just met Ron that this was a feat of amazing proportions.

"Seeker?" he said. "But first years never- you must be the youngest house player in about –"

"-a century," said Harry shoveling pie into his mouth. Honestly boys eat like pigs. "Wood told me. I start training next week. Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

"Like that'll happen-"

"Nothing ever stays secret at Hogwarts."

Harry gave Rigel and me a weird look, possibly wondering how we could possibly know that.

Fred and George Weasley slid into the seats on the other side of Harry.

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too - Beaters."

Wow! They're not only on the team. They have the best position too.

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

Fred and George started to make their way out of the hall.

Rigel and I ran to catch up to them.

"Mind if we come?"

"Either way we're coming" Honestly how else were we supposed to learn anything about magic if we don't explore the school and its passageways? It's got to be the most magical place we'll ever be in.

"Course," Fred smirked, amused by my honesty.

"We need to educate the future Mischief-Makers of Hogwarts." George continued.

There was something strange about that sentence, almost as if he had chosen that particular wording for a reason. It was odd. Fred started to laugh openly at that. There was definitely something they weren't telling us.

We stopped at a statue of a rather ugly hunchbacked old man with an austere expression. Beside it was a jumpy Lee Jordan, looking like Christmas had come early.

"I found one! I actually found one! Look it's right here."

"WE KNOW LEE," said the twins affectively cutting his rant off. "And so will the entire school if you don't shut up!"

Lee's grin disappeared pretty quickly, apparently disappointed in finding something after the great Fred and George again. I'm guessing Fred or George would be more than willing to show Lee all the tricks of the trade, I mean they had accepted us fairly quickly. Lee was just too stubborn. He wanted to figure things out and do them for himself.

"Well, First years first, I guess," Lee pulled aside the tapestry of who-knows-what behind the statue and tapped his wand three times. A hole grew right in the wall. It started at the very point Lee's wand hit the brick but gradually grew larger until even a person could fit down it.

"Umm, okay?" I wasn't exactly sure what to expect but I stepped through the hole into the darkness.

By the time my eyes had adjusted, everyone else had already joined me in the passageway. I could make out the vague stone sides of the tunnel. Rough cobblestones lined the floor making me wonder just how old it really was. Maybe even as long as Hogwarts itself.

"Lumos." Muttered Fred or George. It was a lot harder to tell them apart in the dark.

Light cascaded from the tip of his wand illuminating the entire tunnel. Scrawled on the wall in everlasting ink was evidence that Hogwarts students had been using the passageway for decades.

There was a little heart and within it was written "Prongs and Lilyflower forever." There were also about 50 with the name "Padfoot"; each had a different girl's name written on it. In a slightly neater handwriting was "Padfoot and any idiot willing to date him."

I crept behind the older boys. Fred and George were pushing each other playfully almost as if they were playing ping-pong. Lee was staring wide eyed at his surroundings. He sometimes gave the twins incredulous looks still irritated that they had known all about it and had never told him. Lee walked forward and traced another one of the writings: "Mrs. Norris and the Giant Squid."

"I think we should try this one!"

"What?" George stepped out of the way of an incoming Fred to look at the wall. Fred slammed into Lee, effectively knocking both of them to the ground.

George helped up Fred while Rigel and I pulled up Lee.

"Where's this lead to anyways?" I said finally letting my curiosity get the better of me. I was slightly surprised I had let the question go so long unasked.

"Hogsmeade."

"The Three Broomsticks."

This was amazing. I knew that Hogwarts had secret passageways but this was more than I could wish for. A way to leave the castle completely unnoticed. I wouldn't have to wait until 3rd year to visit the village. The walk now seemed excruciating longer now that I knew what the final destination was.

The writings became more sporadic after awhile. Soon the wise words of Padfoot and the others were left far behind. The passageway wasn't exactly even. Some sections were wide enough for all five of us to walk side by side but at others we walked single file. Lee had to walk sideways at one point to make up for his broad shoulders.

The tunnel sloped slowly upwards. We finally reached a wooden trapdoor.

"All right you lot!" Fred began "Rosmerta's usually not bad about letting us use this. We just have to be back before she locks up."

"We're going to be coming up in the backroom. Try not to draw attention to yourselves."

Without further ado, the twins pushed up the door. It was nearly as dark as the tunnel we had just left and nearly just as cramped. A large metal contraption took up the middle of the room and the edges were lined with cabinets full of bottles. There were hundreds perhaps even thousands of bottles and yet there wasn't dust on a single one of them.

After following a series of twisting hallways, we landed in what most likely was the public room. Tables crowded the room and I wanted to start coughing from all the smoke. My cousin, Abbey would probably have an asthma attack in here.

The five of us settled around the table in the corner, trying to stay far out of the way. Hopefully no one would notice us, if we got caught consequences would be severe: Detention, points taken away, hanged from our ankles (the idea of Filch being allowed to do what he wanted to the students honestly scared me) and most likely our passage way would be found and put out of commission.

A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face came to get our order and some idle conversation.

"Back again boys," she sighed like she was long accustomed to seeing Fred and George here and was tired of trying to tell them off. She probably was.

"Of Course Rosmerta! Five Butterbeers please!"

"Five?"

"Freddie, we haven't introduced our friends yet," this statement would have been fine except for the fact that Fred was the one who said it. It was like they wanted to be confused. I wish Rigel and I could do that. Just imagine all the mayhem we could cause.

"No we haven't."

Rosmerta waited patiently for a moment and when neither twin had uttered another word, she prompted, "Well?"

Fred and George mocked great concentration for a second before saying something undecipherable very fast.

Rosmerta simply raised her eyebrows and turned to walk away when Lee blurted out his name. He was staring openly at her. His expression was almost hungry. It was one of the most bizarre things I had ever seen. But Rosmerta seemed unfazed.

"Rigel Tonks," my twin muttered, his ears going that red color that only appeared when he was nervous.

I gave him a questioning look. My only reply was a sharp kick under the table.

"Amira Tonks."

Rosmerta gave a knowing smile. "A little young aren't you to be out of the castle."

"We won't tell if you don't." I replied.

"Why those two have had an effect all ready." Rosmerta laughed and left to fetch the Butterbeers. I swear I could see Rigel's ears growing steadily redder

"What was that about?" I asked because Rigel seemed incapable of actual thought at the moment.

"I think Rosmerta believes that we," Fred paused here and gestured between himself and George, "are a bad influence on innocent first years."

George and Lee snorted and I couldn't help agree, when were Rigel and I ever innocent.

Rigel almost had another reason to fancy Rosmerta. She came back with all 5 glasses balanced precariously but yet she never spilled a drop. Butterbeer was the best thing I had ever tasted, so sweet and rich. It warmed you up from the inside out. I felt almost giddy after just a couple of sips.

Fred and George were excitedly telling us all about the village. It was all pretty interesting but I just wanted to go exploring. Lee was listening intently. He hadn't been here yet either. The first legal Hogsmeade trip wasn't for a couple of weeks. Rigel had his I'm-trying-to-memorize-every-last-detail-so-don't-you-dare-annoy-me look on. I really hated that look.

Rosmerta came over to clear our glasses. "Come again, dears, and don't let these idiots influence you to much!"

Fred and George mocked indignation. I suppressed a laugh.

"I'm not sure, ma'am. I have a feeling it might be the other way around." Lee stuck up for us.

"I'd like to see them try." Rosmerta scoffed.

Now I'm offended. My honor as a prankster has been called into question. Oh the horror!

"Well you're in for a surprise."

My fingers itched for my wand. Until a set of fingers clasped around my wrist, halting my progress. "She's our way back into the school," Rigel mouthed. Oh yeah, I kind of forgot about that part.

"See you, Fred, George, keep your first year army under control."

As we walked out into the night, I asked a question that had been bugging me for sometime, "Why does everyone think we're your army? I mean a first year army is an awesome idea. But do we have to be _YOURS_?"

"I happen to be a highly intelligent not to mention handsome person," The Weasley twins replied. "Who know all the answers to the questions you seek."

"Yeah and those would be?"

"Care to see Hogsmeade, fair lady," George offered his arm.

"Yes," I said somewhat uncertainly. I'm not sure I trusted these two's sense of direction.

"Then you must join the army of the Weasley twins."

"Show us Hogsmeade and then we'll decide."

I nodded my head with Rigel's conditions.

"Fine then, first up Zonko's!"

Zonko's is the best shop in all of Hogsmeade, possibly the best shop there ever could be. There was row after row of pranking products, from dungbombs to fireworks to basic dyes. Everything we could possibly need was right here. Blue and Gold stars rained down inside the shop as we tried to find the necessaries to bring chaos to Hogwarts. The only problem was that nearly every substance was banned. Well, I guess not really a problem; it just would be more interesting if there was something Filch hadn't encountered before. But you can't really go wrong with a pack of Fanged Frisbees.

"All right, Lady and Gentlemen, on with the tour," Fred said flourishing his hands to the point where it was almost laughable.

"Next up is Honeydukes." George seemed incredibly happy about this.

And I could tell why. Honeydukes was completely lined with sweets. It smelled absolutely heavenly. There was absolutely everything a person could dream of: nougats, exploding bonbons, ice mice and absolutely every type of chocolate imaginable. It was paradise pure and simple. Now I wasn't sure if Zonko's was the best shop after all.

Fred and George showed us the rest of the now quiet town too. It was getting really late so not much was still open but it was still great to see. Rigel had to basically drag me away from the bookstore. Our explorations were cut short when we saw Hagrid come out of The Hog's Head. It wasn't that we were afraid he'd turn us in, well, who am I kidding? That's exactly what the five of us feared; punishment with McGonagall was never pretty.

As we made our way along the tunnel back to Hogwarts, George asked the ultimate question, "So Rigel, Amira, are you ready to join the Weasley Army?"

"Sure but you need to come up with a lot better name than 'Weasley Army.'"

**A.N. Here is where I apologize for being such a lousy updater. So I'm very truly sorry. I got into the State finals for swimming which required a lot of extra, exhausting practices. **

**Now I have a question or more of a request, I'm having slight difficulties coming up with a name for the first year army. If you have any ideas, can you please leave it in a review or PM. Any help is greatly appreciated. So thanks for sticking with me and if you can, please leave a review.**


	12. Chapter 11: Not Letting the Dogs Bite

**I haven't had any suggestions on names for the Weasley Army but I did get some awesome reviews from MissSadieKane, 123 and FlamePumpkin32. Thanks so much guys. **

The end of the tunnel came rather quickly. We still had no decent name. Who wants to be known as the Weasels? It's almost insulting.

We left the tunnel in shifts. That way only a few of us would get caught. Fred seemed to keep glancing at something in his pocket. Whenever I tried to look at the mysterious object, George blocked my view. It seemed odd, especially when, "all right, Amira, Rigel, coast is clear. Filch is in the trophy room. So are-" a sharp elbow from George cut him off. "Uhh, Mrs. Norris. Head back up to the common room. "

Fred Weasley, how stupid do you think we are? That is the worst cover-up I've ever heard and I've heard a lot of bad ones. I'm not going to mention the fact that at least half of them were mine. It'd just sound hypocritical.

"How do you know that?" Rigel asked. Whoa! How could they know that? Dumbledore doesn't even know where everyone is. If he did, we would be in major trouble.

"That's for me to know-"

"And you to find out."

"You better hurry. Filch might not stay there for long."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Fred and George were really getting on my nerves. Lee had left no more than 5 minutes ago and they had spent the entire time since dropping hints of mystical, magical powers giving a person the ultimate sense of direction.

"We're not the only one in the castle tonight." With that, I was pushed through the tapestry. Rigel fell on top of me a second later.

"So we're going to the trophy room?" he asked as he offered a hand to pull me up.

"Course. How else are we supposed to know who's really in the trophy room?"

Rigel nodded. "Which way should we take: direct approach or sneak attack through the charms corridor entrance?"

"Sneak attack. That way we'll have an escape route and avoid more teachers."

"Alright."

As we made our way up a flight of stairs to the charms corridor and started along the passageway, we took turns guessing who it could be in the trophy room.

"Madame Pince," Rigel gave me the weirdest look. "Well there's got to be something going on between those two."

"Amira, 'are' means there is more than one. It's probably just some Slytherins vandalizing the Quidditch cup or something."

"Maybe but wouldn't they tell us that."

"Who knows? Their minds our mysteries to me."

CRASH! It was loud enough to wake up the rest of the castle. Hey that's an idea, at three in the morning when everyone is sleeping we can cause explosions and collisions and generally loud things. It would be brilliant. The crash was accompanied by shouting and at the end of the tunnel a group of people appeared. Rigel and I began sprinting back towards the opening. It was either Filch, that devil cat or his intended victims, most likely older students looking for a scapegoat.

I couldn't have been more wrong. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville came running into us from behind. They seemed to be running high on adrenaline.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. That explained it then. Fred and George had seen them in the trophy room with Filch. No wonder Fred looked like he was going to burst in fits of laughter.

Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering. Hermione was clutching a stitch in her side, while gasping a bunch of I-told-you's. It was nearly half a minute before she turned on us. "Where were you? I haven't seen you since dinner."

"Um" began what I'm sure would have been a very convincing excuse from Rigel except he was interrupted by Ron.

"It doesn't really matter. We've got to get back to Gryffindor Tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you - Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

Harry seemed to be about to nod but thought better of it. I understood why. It wasn't a very pleasant idea to have a Hermione knowing she was right. It would inflate her head.

"Let's go."

We walked about a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and my favorite ghost came shooting out of it. Peeves gave a very high-pitched squeal of delight worthy of any eight year old at a slumber party.

"Shut up, Peeves - please - you'll get us thrown out." Oh no! He didn't just do that! He couldn't have. You'd have to be really dim to say anything like that to Peeves.

Peeves cackled.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."

"We wouldn't be able to cause havoc for Filch. If we're-"

"Stuck in Detention." Rigel and I were vainly trying to pacify the situation.

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in an almost saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves and making the biggest mistake of his wandering-after-hours life. Ronald Weasley was officially the dimmest person I've ever met!

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

It was a mad rush to get as far away as humanly possible. I paused for a moment to help Neville before running after Harry. It would be better to stick together. Well it would have been better to stick together, if Harry hadn't run us into a locked door.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end! We'll never be able to get through."

Well we might be able to get through. I had an idea and pulled out my wand. "I could blow it up! Bombar-"

"NO! STOP! DON'T DO THAT! JUST MOVE OVER!" Hermione paused to collect herself before tapping the lock with Harry's wand. "Alohomora"

The lock clicked and we piled into the room. Ron slammed the door shut and we all pressed our ears against the coarse wood listening.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"We're safe." I whispered, trying to keep the volume down. It would be terrible if we were found despite Peeves' help especially since it was my fault.

Rigel seemed to be having identical thoughts of relief but the rest of our group looked very confused. "Just listen," Rigel mouthed before giving me an exasperated look. I did the mature thing and stuck out my tongue.

"All right - please."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaa!" There was a moment of silence as Peeves whooshed away and Filch cursed in rage.

It was broken by a faint grumbling noise.

"He thinks the door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay - get off, Neville! What?"

I turned around and I knew what the grumbling was coming from. It was massive and terrifying and I never wanted to see anything like it again. Taking up the rest of the forbidden third corridor was a massive slobbering dog. It had three heads. With three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction and three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs. The Cerberus looked almost as startled to see us as we were to see it. The growls were gradually getting louder though, with each one slightly more menacing than the last. I reached for the doorknob but Harry had already turned it and we all fell out into the now Filch free corridor.

Harry slammed the door and we ran as far and fast as our legs could carry us all the way back to Gryffindor tower. Making enough noise that Filch would almost certainly be able to find us but by then we would be safe in our common room far away from vicious monsters.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at our disheveled appearances. Harry and Ron's bathrobes were hanging off their shoulders. Hermione was missing a bunny slipper. We were all hot and sweaty. Though at least Rigel and I looked slightly better, we were still in our school robes even if our pockets bulged with sweets and prank materials.

"Never mind that - pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry,

The portrait swung forward and we scrambled in. The armchairs by the fire had never felt better before. It could just be the near death experience talking but I never want to set foot on the third floor again. At least we don't have Charms until Monday.

"What do you think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally breaking the silence hovering over us. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

With that, Hermione got both her breath and her bad temper back again. "You didn't use your eyes, any of you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

Rigel and Neville shook their heads and looked at the floor. Hermione in a temper was almost as bad a sight as Cerberus.

"Standing on! Why would we bloody care?" I suppressed my urge to yell and so my words came out slightly harsh.

"The floor?" Harry suggested half-heartedly trying to distract Hermione from possible murder thoughts. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."

"No not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."

She stood up, glaring at them.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could have all been killed - or worse expelled."

How is getting expelled worse? There are other wizarding schools. This girl is nuts!

"Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Ron stared after the fleeting figure of Hermione, His mouth open in astonishment.

"No, we don't mind," Ron said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?"

"Wait you didn't take her?" Rigel asked gathering his dignity back together in the absence of a hostile Hermione.

Neville excused himself to go up to bed saying "it was bad enough to live though it once." He was still shaking like a leave.

Ron began describing exactly how they ended up down the secret passageway with overly dramatic hand gestures and I'm guessing embellished details. Harry didn't bother correcting anything so it must have been mostly true. Malfoy had challenged Harry to a Midnight duel and never shown up but instead went to tip off Filch.

But Harry looked like he was off in his own little world. He probably wasn't listening to a word Ron was saying. "The safest place in the world," Harry muttered as Ron was going on about how he triumphantly kicked Mrs. Norris giving them all time to escape.

"What Harry?" Rigel seemed to be just as dubious about Ron's story as I was and this seemed the perfect time for a contradiction.

"The little grubby package at Gringotts from vault 713, I think the dog is guarding it, whatever it is."

"But why move it in the first place?" Ron sounded particularly eager.

"Not sure but it's a good thing though. Imagine it being stolen from Gringotts on the day of the break in. "

"It'd be easier to imagine-"

"If we knew what it was and-"

"What it did."

"It would be. But can you imagine the look on Malfoy's face tomorrow?"

We laughed that was definitely going to be a pleasant picture. Harry and Ron traipsed up to the boys' dormitory. Rigel hung back to say his "goodnights."

"I can't believe they didn't ask where we were!"

"Amira they were a bit distracted."

"I know it was just Hermione was having such a fit in the corridor and we found out exactly what they did and yet we were missing for nearly 6 hours and they still didn't ask. I just couldn't really think of any excuse. My mind was completely blank and-"

"Night, Amira. Don't let the giant three headed dogs bite."

I laughed. Maybe everyone should have a twin. Someone who knows exactly the right thing to say. Someone who can cheer you up in a moment's notice. A best friend and a sibling all rolled in to one.

"Night Rigel." With that we parted ways, to sleep away what little was left of the night.

**A.N. I'm still looking for a proper name for the Weasley Army, so if you have any ideas can you put it in a review or PM me. I'll also take any other ideas you have for this story. So feel free to say what you want to see. Thanks for reading and please review. **


	13. Chapter 12: Breaking Codes

**This chapter is dedicated to Tayla Wayland because who else could come up with such awesome names for the Weasley Army?**

**Disclaimer: Well, maybe, possibly, nope. I don't own Harry Potter and I never will.**

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked Rigel as I looked at the piece of parchment.

"I have no idea."

The letter had arrived at the breakfast table slightly after all the other owls and yet it was just one of the school owls, a self-important tawny. It was sealed with what only could be Droobles Bubble Gum. The letter itself was more intriguing though than its packaging. It seemed to be written in code.

Dear Amira and Rigel,

Lees tq hn sce schrd bkaqqrool on sce fotrsc fkoor as 10. Hs'q swmhbakkw elmsw and ve'kk ze azke so dhqbtqq vhscots hnserrtmshon or sce screas of zehng strned hn zw merfebs mrefebs mrasq.

-Gred and Forge

We glanced in the direction of the mysterious message writers. They were shoveling eggs into their mouths and drinking pumpkin juice. When George saw us looking, he nudged Fred and they both gave us identical smirks. Lee seemed to be trying to puzzle out the contents of his own letter on a napkin.

"I don't know if we'll ever figure this out," I said looking at the letter. It had to be a muggle code too. Lee didn't even bother waving his wand or using a revealer.

"We've got all day though," Rigel said pointing at the only decipherable thing besides our names, the number 10.

"Yeah, but we don't know what it means. It could be room 10, or just a clue in the code. "

"I don't know. I bet we'll have it done by the end of History of Magic. It's not like there is anything else we need to do."

Yep listening to Binns is at the bottom of my priority list. I duplicated the letter, so we each had a copy. Rigel took his usual spot with Harry and Ron, while I made my way to the back corner with Eloise. She was scribbling furiously down some answers to the potions assignment.

Binns began his usual droning. The class fell into the worst type of stupor. I'm not sure but I think it had something to do with Goblins and someone by the name of Alex the Aloof. Which was really odd because none of our textbooks mentioned him. Binns most have lost part of his sanity when he turned into a ghost. That is to say he ever had it to begin with. I pulled out my copy of the twin's note. It made even less sense than our current history lesson. George's handwriting was really atrocious but after some practice I was able to read it. This was complete an utter nonsense.

"Can I see that?" Eloise asked pointing at the cause of all my problems.

I slid my copy of A History of Magic on top of the convoluted letter. "See what?"

"Oh you know what I mean, that letter-thingy-mobobber."

"Really, a letter-thingy-mobobber?"

Eloise let out a laugh, "Well, what else am I supposed to call it?"

I shrugged my shoulders "Dunno rubbish."

"If it's rubbish, can I see it?"

Oh, how am I supposed to get out of this? Well it's not like she'll be able to understand it. I took another glance at Eloise Midgen. She was giving me pleading puppy dog eyes. I suppressed a fit of giggles and handed over the parchment.

Eloise looked at it for a second, before, "THIS IS BRILLIANT!" Her shouting made the entire class turn and look at us. Professor Binns just kept on talking though.

"She's just really excited about um," I now had absolutely no idea what Binns was talking about during our rather odd discussion. Rigel mouthed, "Goblin wars." We were still on about that. I tried to cover up my hesitation. Hermione Granger gave an irritated huff and turned back to face Binns. She wore a strange half amused smile meaning we couldn't have been that bad.

"Nice," Rigel teased after everyone else had turned around. I, of course, did the mature thing and stuck out my tongue. Eloise threw a crumpled ball of spare parchment at the back of Rigel's head before turning back to our mystery.

"Well it's quite simple actually. It's a code."

"No duh!"

"Sh! Just let me finish!"

Eloise wrote out many different combinations of the alphabet. A slight crease seemed to appear in her forehead.

"Well?"

"I need a code word." She turned to look at me expectantly.

"I wasn't given any word."

"It's not necessary a word. It could be a phrase. " Eloise paused before continuing, "Who sent the letter anyways? That always helps."

"Fred and George Weasley, the red-"

"Yeah, I know red headed Gryffindor twins, a bit of Pranksters. They're third years."

"What how could you-"

"Possibly know. Simple Hufflepuffs go unnoticed. I could probably sneak into Gryffindor tower right under McGonagall's nose if I wanted to."

"Wow. That'd be so-"

"Amazing! I know!"

"Can you stop-"

"Finishing my sentences?" Eloise gave me a cheeky little grin. I wanted to start banging my head on the desktop. It was all right when Rigel did it. It was a standard requirement as a twin but this was just plain weird.

"Do you know what it says yet?"

"I'm pretty sure I know how to solve it as soon as we have a code word. Here I wrote it out," Eloise offered the parchment. The alphabet was written along with a new mass of words, if I can even call them words:

Mfft ur io tdf tdise clcrrs ppm po tdf gpus td glpps ct 10. It'r txniccllx fmntx coe wf'll cf cclf tp eircurr witdput iotfs s untipo ps tdf tds fct pg cfioh tus ofe io cx nfs gfct ns fgfct ns ctr.

"What's that mean?"

"I don't know yet. That's the problem. I just changed all the a's to b's, and b's to c's, and so on. It's pretty simple."

"Yeah but why did you do that?"

"See that 10."

"But what's that mean?"

"It means to change around the letters like I did. I forgot what type of code it is… "

"Nah, I think it's just a time or a room number or something."

"I'm pretty positive. Some of the CIA codes worked that way, although their code words were really obscure things like Navajo words, landmarks or Presidents," Eloise trailed off like she was thinking to herself.

"You've cracked CIA codes, like the _American _Central Intelligence Agency. What happened to MI6? You get through all those yet?"

Eloise gave me a shy smile. "They're too difficult to hack. The U.S has codes everywhere. I'm sure I've only seen the general ones but still that's a good deal of practice."

"A good deal of practice? You could probably be a spy if you wanted to, with cool weapons and heightened human intelligence."

Her smile grew bigger. The braces on her teeth glinted. "I think I like being a witch better. There's more mystery to it."

Eloise seemed to glance at me for reassurance. It was like her confidence could slip away at a moment's notice. I nodded, trying to get her to continue.

"I always liked mysteries. For the longest time, my parents couldn't get me to read anything but Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys or Fairy tales." She blushed like it was something to be ashamed of. "I used to play the funniest games when I was little. My neighbor, Stephan, was five years older than me. He put me through all sorts of weird 'camps' in which I was the pupil and he was the instructor. My favorite was Spy camp. We spent weeks army crawling and watching our parents from behind bushes. Stephan also rigged up these microphones all over the neighborhood. Mrs. Lynde practically screamed when she found the one in the library."

This really seemed like something Rigel and I would do. Eloise might be able to cause a lot of havoc at this school. Hufflepuffs barely got noticed. She could be an evil genius trying to take over the world and still more than half the school wouldn't know the name Eloise Midgen. Eloise would be a great addition to the Weasley Army.

Eloise looked down at her looping handwriting. She crossed out some of the newer lines. "That can't be right. It's too simple."

"What? What is it?" I was practically jumping out of my seat with excitement.

"They used their names."

It still didn't make that much sense.

"The code words were Gred and Forge or possibly Fred and George. Whatever it was it worked!" Eloise handed me the note, now clearly legible:

Dear Amira and Rigel,

Meet us in the third classroom on the fourth floor at 10. It's typically empty and we'll be able to discuss without interruption or the threat of being turned in by perfect prefect prats.

-Gred and Forge

I think I squealed because several people whipped around in their seats. Hermione gave an indignant sigh before turning back around while others (cough Zacharias Smith cough) gave mocking faces and profound insults. Eloise's face turned about 2 shades darker. Rigel glared at the bullies before tilting his head to the side. "Tell you later" I mouthed.

"Class dismissed and I want those 2 feet by Monday." Binns drifted right back through the blackboard.

I turned towards Eloise as I gathered my books. "So how would you like to be part of a secret army? I'm pretty sure we'll be able to find some mysterious code names."

"I'll see you at ten, then." Eloise gave a huge smile before disappearing into the shadows with out a sound. Wow, she was good at that. Note to self, never try to hide anything from Eloise.

/.-=['l;'?* _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"No!"

"Oh give it up, Rigel. She's coming."

"No. I won't stand for it."

"YOU won't stand for it! Who put you in charge?" Rigel gets so pigheaded at times.

"No one. It's just that Puff is going to blow our cover."

"Oh just wait, by the end of the year, you'll have more detentions than she does."

"Is that a bet?"

"Of Course. 2 Galleons." We shook hands.

"This is easy money. A Hufflepuff will never be able to out prank me."

I smirked. "I'll tell Nymphy and Dad you said so."

Rigel got a panic look across his face. The last time something like that happened, he couldn't get the dye out of his hair for a month. Nymphy always swore pink looked good on anybody.

"That was nice."

Rigel and I whipped around. Eloise had emerged from the shadows. She was extremely good at that.

"I mean to stand up for me. Not many people do."

Rigel was blinking every few seconds like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. I couldn't tell what was funnier Eloise skipping happily along the corridor or Rigel just standing there gawking.

Eloise paused at the door and straightened her robes before entering. Far off in the distance, I thought I heard Peeves. I shoved Rigel inside and quickly slammed the door.

Fred and George were sitting side by side on the professor's desk. George shoved a piece of parchment into his pocket. "Glad you figured out our little note-"

"Lee should be here anytime now-"

"He knows the code."

"Who's your friend?"

I glanced around looking for Eloise. She was swinging her feet back and forth as she sat in the corner desk. Eloise bounded off it at the mention of herself. "Eloise Midgen, first year Hufflepuff, pleased to meet you."

Fred and George exchanged looks. "Welcome to the Weasley Army!"

"No way! We're not calling ourselves that!" Eloise, Rigel and I all said.

Lee opened the door and squeezed in. "I think Filch suspects something. He's lurking around the stairs. I dropped a dung bomb over the banister though. That should keep him busy." He plopped down in another one of the desks.

"Now that we're all settled, I hereby call this meeting to order." Fred said glancing at his watch.

"Who put you in charge?"

"I mean who in their right mind what do that?" I asked at the now very irritated Fred Weasley.

"Well obviously, I'm the better looking twin."

Even George rejected Fred as leader at that. The majority of our meeting was spent arguing about how we were going to govern ourselves. You'd think a small prank group would have no order to it but we might have over thought things a bit. I think Lee was even taking minutes. In the end, we were a democracy. It was simple enough…

Until our name came up.

"I still say the Weasley Army," said George.

"NO!"

"Fine! Fine! It was just a suggestion."

"First of all," Rigel began, "We are not your army."

"Secondly, I want to be able to cause mayhem even after you leave. Let the prankster legacy continue, if you know what I mean," I added. There was no way we were being the Weasley Army, absolutely no way!

Eloise sighed, "Plus there's no cool acronym."

"Well, we could be the Mayhem Bandits," offered Lee.

"Still no acronym," Eloise added in a singsong voice.

I have to admit it didn't really sound right either.

Fred snapped his fingers, "I know Midget Minions. It fits especially because of you Firsties."

"I'm not that short. I'm almost as tall as you," I argued.

George covered, "Well Eloise isn't. She might really be a smidgen of a person."

Eloise reached down and brandished a textbook one of the other students had left behind.

"Okay, nothing making Midgen's shortness obvious," Fred amended.

There was silence in the classroom. I wracked my brains for anything worth using. Pranksters Association sounded weird. Pranking for a funner future sounded more like a motto, and most likely some Ravenclaw would point out funner wasn't a word. Order of the Weasels sounded pretty cool and we could just call it the Order for short. It sounded like we were part of something so much larger, like Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. But I'm pretty sure Fred and George wouldn't like that.

"George, I think I've got it!" Fred was jumping up and down in a way that was totally out of character for him.

"Does it have anything to do with our founding fore fathers?" George asked.

Founding fore fathers? What's that supposed to mean? I think we were the first group to actual form a group of pranksters since, well since a really long time ago.

"Yep the Mini Marauders!"

I liked the Marauders part. It sounded vaguely familiar too. But "Why the mini part?"

"Well, we aren't the original Marauders and," he paused as if he wasn't quite sure if he dared to finish his thought, "Eloise is just so short."

"FRED WEASLEY, I'M WARNING YOU!" Eloise pulled out her wand and began to wave it in a complicated gesture. Fred began to shrink rapidly.

I walked over to Eloise and tried to calm her down. Fred's rapid reduction in size started to slow down.

"Who were the original Marauders?" Lee seemed completely oblivious to the whole situation. Rigel was teetering on the sidelines, unsure whether he was going to help me or continue laughing madly with George.

A tiny squeak that sounded a lot like "Geniuses" came from an inch tall Fred.

"Can you fix him?" George now seemed slightly nervous as if seeing his twin so small and vulnerable was a very scary thing.

"Um, he now fits our name. Fred's just a really mini marauder," Eloise stammered. Her confidence, along with her anger, was gone.

"You don't know how to fix him, do you?" It wasn't really a question. "Amira, Eloise and Lee start looking in the books for something that might work. George tell us everything you can about these Marauder people."

Rigel always knew how to think when under pressure. He liked to have order, so that certainly helped too. Rigel just had a level of calm higher than most people. Nymphy used to joke that Rigel got enough clear-headedness for the two of us.

I pulled out a book and began glancing through the table of contents. There were spells for everything. Notice-me-not charms and duplicating curses were only the beginning. There was even the method to make flying carpets but nothing on how to bring inch high people to their original height.

"Well, there were these four pranksters at Hogwarts, Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs."

Those were the names written along the secret passageway. We found one of their secret passageways.

"Bloody geniuses, they taught us absolutely everything, more than a teacher ever could."

"But how?" Rigel and I were thinking along the same thought process.

"The Marauders left us help," George pulled out the piece of parchment they always had on them. He tapped it with his wand, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

Spiderlike handwriting crept up from the center of the page:

"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers

Are proud to present

THE MARAUDER'S MAP""

"Wow!" I gasped. It was amazing, the best thing I had ever seen. It was Hogwarts and everyone in it. Peeves was pestering birds in the owlery while Dumbledore paced his office. Filch marched back and forth in front of the main entrance. Quirrell and Snape were both on the third floor near the forbidden corridor and the monstrous three headed dog.

"Is anyone going to fix me?"

We turned back to our books. It was Lee who found the spell ten minutes later. "Engorgio."

Fred began to swell upwards. Pointing a shaking finger at Eloise, he said, "We don't mess with her."

"Glad you figured that out," Eloise said sweetly.

Just like that we were laughing. The Mini Marauders exited the classroom in high spirits with our first prank already planned for Halloween.

**Well sorry for the wait. My uncle/godfather was in a car accident and things were a bit hectic with school starting up soon. **


	14. Chapter 13: Defeating Mountain Trolls

**Well I missed the Hogwarts Express again. So I'm stuck going to Muggle school again and trying to keep myself sane by writing fanfiction. So on with the story**

**Disclaimer: I no own.**

It was all settled. We talked to the house elves. They were more than happy to put our special potion inside all of the desserts. Wiggles was excited to do it when we told him it was to raise school spirits and let the students get over any homesickness they could be feeling.

The Mini Marauders were no longer allowed to practice in the library. Madame Pince had kicked us out after the shimmering smoke had almost damaged her books. (And by almost, I mean they fogged up the glass surrounding/protecting them.) Eloise was able to sneak back in and grab whatever we needed though. I don't think Pince had even noticed her. She just kept yelling for the Gryffindor hooligans to get out of her library.

Halloween left us slightly anxious. It was going to be the first unveiling of our little group. That's not to say we hadn't pulled any stunts before. The previous ones just weren't very public. Smith still can't figure out why bubbles come out of his mouth whenever he says anything insulting. It was really hilarious because he keeps insulting people for laughing at him. Pink, blue and green bubbles covered the Great Hall Ceiling. In some places, they blocked out the sky above.

The plan was a relatively simple one. Right before dessert, Fred and George would set off the fireworks. Rigel, Lee and I would shoot out multicolored smoke, while Eloise wrote our message to the student body in the air. She definitely had the best handwriting and it was kind of necessary for them to be able to read it.

Halloween saw us up bright and early. Rigel wanted to stop in with the house elves one more time before tonight but the overwhelming smell of pumpkins stopped us from getting too close.

I wasn't able to talk to Eloise in History either. Professor Binns gave us another quiz. There's one about every three weeks. Well, there was the same one every three weeks. Exact same questions, exact same answers. I don't think many people have realized it. Harry and Ron were still getting 'T's. I let Neville in on the little secret a couple of weeks ago but he still had some problems remembering the answers. He's really got a terrible memory.

Though Neville does have an amazing flying toad. Professor Flitwick demonstrated Wingardium Leviosa on Trevor before splitting us into pairs to practice. Rigel and I were already fairly good at the charm. You can do almost anything with it. I had taken the liberty to make random objects fly around the room while Rigel acted like a good little boy and played with his feather. Professor Flitwick seemed torn between congratulating me and stopping my reign of havoc. He compromised by trying to help the class.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

That gave me an idea. "Hey Rigel, watch this!" Rigel gave me an exasperated look like he knew exactly what I was going to do. "Wingardium Leviofa"

A tiny stream of flaming buffalos sprouted from my wand unto the desk in front of us. Seamus Finnigan batted at the buffaloes with his wand and eventually squashed one right on his feather. It spluttered and smoked before finally bursting into flames. Harry grabbed his hat and flattened the flames. He turned around and looked back at us. Rigel nodded his head in my direction. I gave Harry a sheepish smile.

"Now we know what happens, so can you please just go back to the original spell?" Rigel glanced at me before turning his attention back to his feather.

Well I was going to practice but something a lot more interesting caught my attention. At the next desk over, Ron and Hermione were arguing again.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Hermione snapped, "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Okay, that really wasn't a smart thing to do. Hermione is going to take Ron down.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and recited the spell. Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

As wonderful as that is, I've been doing that for a while, much to Professor Flitwick's annoyance, and yet Hermione gets the recognition. "Now everyone who didn't complete today's charm," he flashed a same smile in our direction, "should practice over the weekend." Okay I was appeased. I gathered my books and walked out of the classroom behind Harry, Rigel and Ron.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron said as he tried to push his way past some rather tall 6th years content with watching the 1st years struggle, "she's a nightmare, honestly."

I felt someone rush past me and purposely ram into Ronald "Irritating-Absolutely-No-Tact-What-So-Ever" Weasley. That someone was Hermione and it was obvious to everyone but the idiot that she was crying.

"I think she heard you." Harry said glancing at the girl in question as she turned into the girls' lavatory.

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

"That's true," Rigel began. I started to glare at him. This wasn't my brother. He had never in his life ever acted like that before. Mum and Dad, not to mention any teacher that could possibly be around, would punish him severely for supporting such bullying. He quickly changed his sentence, "But that was harsh not to mention cruel."

Ron's cheeks turned as red as his hair and he started to stutter like Professor Quirrell. Rigel risked a glance in my direction. What he saw was not anything reassuring.

I turned into the lavatory, both trying to avoid the guilty boys and to comfort Hermione. Parvati was just coming out. "I'd try somewhere else if I were you. Hermione is crying like a baby in there."

I pushed past her. I really didn't have time to deal with her supiority. I started banging on one of the two locked stalls, where the sobs sounded louder.

"Hermione! Hermione! Open up this door RIGHT NOW! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!"

A startled 3rd year covered in a green potion unlocked the door. "Sorry to disappoint you." She winced and stalked out muttering under her breath the entire way. "Maybe Madame Pomfrey will be able to get rid of it. Higgins is possibly the worst partner there is."

I walked to the only other locked stall. "Uh? Hermione? Are you in this one?" I wasn't exactly comfortable anymore. I didn't want to rip this door its hinges just to reveal more angry older students.

There was no reply. "Well, you should no they're just irritating gits who haven't learned the wonders of a little thing called tact, or respect or thoughtfulness or even manners. Well to tell the truth, there are a lot of things they don't know."

A small giggle escaped from the stall.

"Can you come out now? We can't really fix this without you leaving your little rabbit hole."

"Fix this?" Her voice broke threw amongst the sobs. Hermione sounded as though she was genuinely surprised some one wanted to help her.

"Of course fix this! What our friends for?"

Hermione burst out of the stall and pulled me into a tight hug.

"I've never had a friend before," she confessed tears still streaming down her face.

"I'm sure you can think of one person."

It took her a while to ponder it but Hermione slowly stopped crying.

"Well there was Mrs. Anderson. She was the nicest librarian a school could ever have."

If we were up in our dormitories, I would have whacked her with a pillow.

"How 'bout some people our age?"

Hermione started crying again, "No that's about it. The other kids weren't exactly very nice. Always calling me the weirdo amongst other thing. 'Lousy Bookworm' 'Bossy Know-it-all' 'Freak.'" She spat out the insults. "I was hoping Hogwarts would be different, you know less irritating gits" another small giggle omitted from her, seemingly calming her down a bit.

"Well, it helps to talk about it you know. Bullies tend to make funny insults, rather pathetic." I let the sentence trail off. I'm not exactly sure what else I could do. I hadn't really been a situation like this before.

"Yeah, you could say that. Just look at all of Malfoy's." Hermione looked off into space. I was about to apologize when she let out a real laugh. It was a nice sound a lot better than the weeping.

"Back at my Primary School, we had this art show. I'm not really an artist but our teacher was offering extra credit. It really wasn't worth it. Timothy Stone wrecked my drawing. I worked really hard on it too. It was of one of those old fashioned castles, just like this one."

I let out a laugh, "Either you're really good at Divination or that was accidental magic."

"Professor McGonagall says that Divination is a rather useless subject, not at all practical."

"Fine you win. You have some nice accidental magic though. I blew up the vase in our living room 147 times but nothing like that."

Now it was Hermione's turn to laugh. "147 times?"

"Yep! I get angry easily, especially with Rigel to drive me over the edge. Can you continue with your story?"

"Oh yeah. Mrs. Anderson helped me paste it back together. That night, Timothy started singing the stupidest song. The tune was pretty catchy and soon all the kids were singing it."

"How'd it go?"

Hermione blushed.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No it's probably the funniest insult I've ever gotten."

Hermione cleared her throat, "Hermione can't draw, Hermione can't draw, Hermione cannot draw, She only reads books and she cannot draw even if she's reading a how-to-draw book"

Gosh that tune was catchy. I started to sing along. It definitely wasn't a smart move.

"Hey!"

I just kept singing, until I heard her singing a different song, "Amira can't sing, Amira can't sing, Amira cannot sing. She only reads books and she cannot sing even if she's reading a how-to-sing book."

Now it was my turn to indignantly yell.

"You started it." Hermione stated before collapsing into a fit of laughter. It was only seconds before I joined her. We calmed ourselves down after a while.

"We should probably head to the feast. There are supposed to be live bats! I read about it in-"

"Hogwarts, A History." I finished.

Hermione gave me a smile, dried her eyes and tried to make herself look presentable. In the meantime, I frantically worried. What were the Mini Marauders going to do without me? We could probably make it in time for dessert.

The door opened and a terrible smell entered the room like a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean. I really hoped that the Great Hall didn't smell like that too. I might just puke. I glanced at Hermione in the mirror. Behind her was a full-grown mountain troll. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell was most definitely coming from it. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

Frankly, I did the only reasonable thing: I screamed. Hermione and I backed into one of the far corners. The troll advanced. He used his club to break every sink in between us. I tried to pull Hermione to the side, so we could run to the exit. Trolls were stupid and most likely wouldn't even notice until we were long gone.

Then, Harry, Ron and Rigel burst in. Rigel looked as if he was about to start hyperventilating. If he stayed, he was just going to get hurt. "Rigel! GO GET THE TEACHERS!" The boys went right into action.

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet away from us. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, and then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.

"Come on! Hermione! We have to get out of here!" I pulled hard on her arm.

Hermione wasn't budging. She was absolutely terrified. I was too but I just wanted to get out of here.

"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.

"Come on, run, run!" Harry helped me push Hermione towards the exit. He was a lot stronger than he looked.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started stomping toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.

Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid to distract him:

He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. Harry's momentum had caused his wand to land up the troll's nose.

I stopped trying to move Hermione. She sunk to the floor in fear.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club. I just couldn't let that happen.

I tried every spell I knew. They were all bouncing off of the troll's thick hide. "Ron, WILL YOU HELP ME ALREADY!"

Ron pulled out his own wand. He called, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Why would that work? Ron failed miserably at that in class. Why was even he going to try using it? He could hurt Harry. But what other choice did we have?

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

We just stood there at first, panting. It was Hermione who spoke first. "Is it dead?" She looked at the troll's unmoving form more often than she had been during the attack.

"I don't think so," said Harry, "I think it's just been knocked out."

He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue. I gagged. It was just disgusting.

The sudden sound of footsteps made me look away from the gunk covering Harry's wand. A moment later, Rigel came bursting into the room leading Professor McGonagall, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear.

Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Rigel cautiously stepped around the troll and pulled me into a hug. I was sure he wasn't going to let go anytime soon and I wasn't sure if I wanted him to. It was nice to be reminded my brother cared about me so much. Enough that he would risk his safety to try to warn me there was a mountain troll in the castle.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall interrupting my twin bonding moment. She glared at the four of us. Hermione was hidden in the shadows. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

There was no rush to explain to her what happened. I tried to think up a legitimate excuse for missing the feast without getting the boys in trouble. They didn't deserve it. They had only come to save us. Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Then a small voice came out of the shadows.

"Please, Professor McGonagall — they were looking for us, um Amira and me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.

"I was in the bathroom with Amira. We didn't know about the troll. If they hadn't found us, I'd be dead by now. Amira was doing her best to defend us. But I was just petrified. It was about to finish me off when they arrived"

Ron dropped his wand. His face was completely unreadable. Though it was obvious the story was new to him.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for missing the feast and skipping your classes after charms," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Oh! If the students are finishing dinner in their rooms, we're going to have some interesting results in the morning. Although it isn't going to be as cool as it would have been tonight. People dyed to match their house colors are always interesting.

Hermione left. Professor McGonagall turned to us.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

We rushed out of there as quickly as possible, to escape the angry teachers and the overwhelming stench of the troll. Rigel wouldn't let go of me, like he was trying to reassure himself that I was perfectly safe. We were two floors up before Ron started complaining.

"We should have gotten more than 20 points."

"Fifteen, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's."

"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."

"Safe her? I wouldn't have been in there if it weren't for you Ronald 'I don't know your middle name yet' Weasley."

"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her," Harry pointed out.

"WAIT! YOU LOCKED US IN!" Ron sped up his pace and was practically running into the common room.

**Hey Everyone! School starts after Labor Day. I hope to get one more update before then.**

**By the way, I'm on Pottermore (Part of the reason for the delay. It's pretty fascinating.) as GobletWitch150. I also discovered that I have house issues. I have always been a Ravenclaw in my mind from the moment I read the first book. All of the other sorting hat quizzes tend to agree with me too on that fact. But not Pottermore, I was a Gryffindor, which I was happy about but really surprised. I never thought I was brave enough for it. I guess Amira rubbed off on me. Recently, I found myself growing attached to the Hufflepuffs and so I was almost hoping for that. To make matters funnier, my sister is a Slytherin. **

**Thanks for reading my rant. Please review!**


	15. Chapter 14: Looking in Mirrors

**Well, I wasn't able to get it up before school started but still. It's up now. **

**Disclaimer: Hm… I think I'm supposed to say something along the lines of I don't own Harry Potter in any way shape or form but then again I'm not sure. **

Hogwarts hadn't been this colorful in a long time or as fun though some people didn't agree. McGonagall had promptly deducted 100 points from Gryffindor and given us two weeks of detention. Eloise lucked out. I'm not sure if Sprout knew she was involved at all. I'm pretty sure Rigel is going to owe me a couple Galleons by the end of the year.

"Well, what's the plan?" Eloise asked as she skipped into History. Her face alight with neon yellow dye.

"A plan for what?"

"We need something spectacular to announce the return of the Marauders. This was sort of a wasted opportunity although it's so much fun and I absolutely love the colors."

"I have an idea. I want to share it at the next meeting. George said to meet us in the room on the first floor of the North Tower on Saturday."

"What time?"

"After lunch so around 1, I think. We don't want it to be painfully obvious. McGonagall has eyes like a hawk."

"So what's this brilliant idea?"

"I never said it was brilliant."

Eloise simply rolled her eyes and hastily picked up her quill to make it look like she was taking notes. She really shouldn't have bothered. No one was paying attention anyways well except for Hermione. Ron and Harry were playing tic-tac-toe. Rigel was drawing again and the rest of the class was just trying to make the next fifteen minutes bearable.

"Much to the dismay of Urlic the Unwise, Harold the Hungry took control of the largest dwarf mine giving his supporters access to the minerals for their work. Pisces the Pathetic was particularly well known for his diamond studded swords. He sold them to many wizards including the pair that beheaded him when he refused to give them the secrets of the craft. Urlic killed Harold but this satisfied none of the goblins. Harold's supporters were treated grossly unfair with violence and cruelty. Urlic's old supporters were no longer content under the fact that since his years in power, they were still no closer to having wands or rights under the Ministry of Magic. Quilet the Quiet took many of both followers. She was able to establish the basics of Gringotts. Quilet disappeared for sometime after the opening of the bank. Her body was discovered in the English Channel sometime latter. Human employees came into Gringotts at this time."

I guess the lesson could have been interesting. I had never realized that Gringotts had been established by Goblins. It made sense though. I found it ironic that it was a female goblin that ended the feud of the two warring groups. It was proof for every Feminist's cause. Too bad the Muggles couldn't know this. I would have gotten the right to vote a long time ago. It was unwise to think that even half of my classmates would know it. No one could really withstand Binns' droning.

"That will be all," and Professor Binns floated back threw the chalkboard.

.-.-.-.-.-._

"We're basically changing the school into a giant trampoline?"

"What's a trampoline?" Lee asked, thoroughly confused by the Muggle term.

"It's a muggle toy," Eloise began looking just as puzzled as Lee. How was she supposed to describe it? I thought I had done a pretty good job.

"They're wicked-"

"Like this bouncy material-"

"Stretched really tight-"

"And you can do all these tricks on it."

While Fred and George were scarily accurate, I was surprised they knew anything about Muggles at all.

"Um, how do you know that?" Rigel asked. I could already tell he wasn't very enthusiastic about my plan. That might have something to do with his broken arm, which wasn't in any way my fault.

"Dad is a bit Muggle obsessive-"

"Works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office –"

"Just him and old Perkins-"

"He brought home one of those trampleins things," I raised my eyebrows, despite owning one and hearing the word 10 seconds ago, they still managed to mispronounce it.

"We had it for a whole ten minutes before Mum found it-"

"I still say it was Percy's fault."

We picked up George's next line all knowing exactly where the conversation was headed, "Percy, the Perfect Prefect Prat!"

.-_. .-_= 12345678

The only time the corridors were ever clear was after hours. The rest of the day you couldn't move a foot with out ramming into someone. The older students would sometimes transfigure chairs in the middle of the hallways during their free periods. It was supposed to be amusing. I just found it annoying.

I glanced over my shoulder. I swear I thought I heard footsteps. I had to be imagining something. There was nothing and nobody there. I was over reacting that was it. After the troll, I was just slightly jumpy.

I ran into the corner and tapped my wand where the wall met the floor.

"Lorem Ipsumis"

Three down four more to go. Each member of the Mini Marauders had to cover their entire assigned floor with the rubber spells. I had the 4th floor. The library would probably be the hardest part. Madame Pince is insane about her books.

I approached the doors, cautiously. I carefully stepped over the rope closing them off. I yanked on the door. It was locked. I rapped my wand on the lock.

"Alohomora."

I pulled the doors open. No alarms went off. No screaming librarian was demanding my head on a platter. It was almost too easy. I set two more charms at the far corners. I eased my way towards the front again. I felt at so much a disadvantage, so far away from the only exits. Fred had the Map. We hadn't figured out how to duplicate it yet.

I was at the exit when I saw an odd little book on the shelves. It was a violet color and compared to the books next to it rather petite. I didn't recognize it and that was the odd part about it all. Hermione and I had poured over these shelves when looking up something up for our transfiguration essay.

I pulled it out, avoiding brushing against the other books. I couldn't see anything that marked it as a library book. In fact, it looked brand-new and unmistakably Muggle. Not even Gregory Goyle could mistake the lined notebook paper for parchment. I traced the flowers stenciled on the cover before opening it. On the first page was written,

"This Journal is the exclusive property of Eliana Scott,

And yes this is a journal, not a diary.

Diaries are for wimpy little girls."

I couldn't help but laugh at that. It sounded like something I would write. I quickly stifled it. I had work to do. I tried to put the book back on the shelf. I was slightly less successful this time. I managed to knock several books on Human Transfiguration onto the floor; setting off the alarm I had been waiting for since I stepped in the library. I grabbed Eliana's journal and started running as fast as I could.

I thought I saw Filch come out of the passageway behind Temeritus Shanks' portrait. I slowed down attempting to make myself as unnoticeable as possible.

At the first open door, I backed slowly into the room. Trying to put as much distance between Filch and me, I continued backing up until I hit a large ornate mirror. I ducked behind it as he glanced into the room searching for signs of life. I tried to keep as still as possible, silently praying that he'd move on. Filch was about to when Mrs. Norris ruined everything. She's the bane of my existence honestly.

"Sniff around my sweet. See what you can find."

Mrs. Norris stalked toward the mirror. Her yellow lamp-like eyes were gleaming with determination. The scrawny excuse for a cat leered the few teeth she had and continued moving forward. It was only when Mrs. Norris looked in the mirror. She let out a purr that I thought wasn't humanly possible for her. Mrs. Norris curled up into a ball and sat on the hard stone floor as content as if it were a pile of soft blankets.

"I'm moving on my dear. They're here somewhere."

Filch left and was soon followed by a sulking Mrs. Norris. I let out the breath, I didn't know I was holding. I paused before slowly uncurling myself from my hiding spot.

It was just a simple unused classroom, excellent for hiding in but not much else. Desks and chairs were piled against the wall. There was nothing unusual about the room except for the mirror. It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.

I didn't know what it meant but it had to be important somehow. Maybe it was a spell that had hypnotized Mrs. Norris. I wouldn't know unless I looked in it.

I looked normal, although I wasn't alone. Rigel, Fred, George, Lee and Eloise were all standing next to me. Lee and Rigel had their arms around my shoulders. Eloise looked more confident than she ever did in real life. Fred and George were wearing their Weasley Sweaters and for once, they were wearing the right ones. We were all laughing without a care in the world.

In the background, there were 6 more people. Four of the boys were in a position similar to us. A boy that looked a good deal like Harry was in the middle next to a handsome boy that could be related to Mum in someway. They had the same eyes. On the other side of Harry's look alike was a rather tall boy with shaggy hair and shabby clothes. He looked older than the others, not really age wise, but experience wise, like he'd seen something of great horror. Though now like everyone else, he was smiling. On the right side of my distant relative was a man several heads shorter. He was plump and watery eyed, like someone had said something incredibly funny.

The last two people were more of a indistinct blurs. The man was slightly shorter than three of the four boys. All I could see about him really was his wavy black hair. He had his arms wrapped around the female. She was only slightly clearer. Her red hair was pulled back revealing her face. Her blue eyes looked so hauntingly familiar but I just couldn't place them. Her smile made me just want to continue staring, willing her to become clearer. I waited just gazing at it all, taking it all in. It was only when a large thump from the floor above shook me from my thoughts.

I still had two spells to place before heading back to the common room. I glanced out the door, searching for Filch. He was gone, hopefully far away. I stopped briefly at the balcony, "Lorem Ipsumis." Good just one left.

I had left Binn's office for last. It would be the easiest. He never used the place and honestly he wouldn't be able to tell if it were after curfew or not. If by some miracle, he did, Professor Binns didn't know who I was anyways.

I cast the last charm before heading up to the Gryffindor Tower. As I walked, I thought of the people in the mirror. When I was lying in my bed, staring up at the ceiling, I realized why her eyes looked so familiar. They were exactly like mine.

-_-_=+=1234567890

Professor McGonagall walked unsteadily into the Great Hall the next morning. I was amazed she was doing as well as she was. Most of the teachers had given up looking professional and bounced in like the students. Some second years had challenged each other to a jump-off, trying to get higher and do fancier tricks on each bounce.

Professor McGonagall just looked disgruntled by the new floors. And she wasn't the only one. Professor Vector was grimacing every step she took. Filch looked about ready to cry. Professor Snape seemed unaffected. He continued gliding around like some over grown bat.

Once it looked like everyone was seated, Lee gave the all-clear sign. I was sitting with Eloise at the Hufflepuff table. It was at the center of the hall and a prime position. I waved my wand in the figure-8 movement we'd been practicing. Multicolored smoke shot out.

It took several minutes but once the smoke cleared, the whole hall was greeted with words written in Eloise's handwriting:

"This prank was brought to you by

The Mini Marauders.

Yes Minnie! We're back!"

**A.N.** **Here's a quick explanation of what Amira saw in the Mirror of Erised:**

**She saw the Mini Marauders standing as "equals" with the original Marauders. She sees her group of friends together and happy. The indistinct blurs are Eliana and Regulus. It is more of an unconscious wish than anything else. She doesn't know anything besides Andromeda, Ted, Nymphy and Rigel but she almost feels like there is something missing. I hope that makes sense and I'm not just talking nonsense. **

**Eliana's ****diary**** journal was added as a way to get Regulus in there more because for a while, he is going to be sadly absent. **

**I plan to update once a week at least. School rules my life. **


	16. Chapter 15: Watching a Quidditch Match

**Disclaimer: Once upon a time, an extremely wonderful, awesome, amazing, talented writing genius came up with the idea for Harry Potter. That genius was J. K. Rowling. **

I opened up the journal. Fred and George were at their last Quidditch practice before the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin match. Rigel and Lee were in detention. Taping Mrs. Norris to the ceiling was never acceptable, although it was a lot of fun. I sat in the armchair in the corner of the common room as far from the main hubbub. This Eliana person was actually rather interesting.

_This wasn't my idea. I mean when have I ever done something this girly? It was all Maize's idea. Of course Laura had to go along with it as well but that's not the point. This is a journal, a perfectly normal journal in case something bad happens to me. After all, what do we have without our memories? _

_I'm a third year, a Gryffindor, a muggleborn, and pretty proud of it. I'm not normal. It's a crime to be normal anyways. _

_I think anyone who has ever met you certainly knows you're not normal. _

_Good-wait how are you writing in here. Aren't you on a date with that Xenophilius guy?_

_IT'S NOT A DATE!_

_Sure, Miss We're-Sitting-In-The-Most-Secluded-Corner-Of-The-Library._

_He's studying for his OWLS. We're just friends and I mean _just _friends. _

_Laura and Xeno sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-NG! _

_Shut up! He's two years older. _

_How can I shut up? I'm writing in a book, MY book. _

_Well how's that working out for you?_

There were several lines crossed out. I couldn't decipher any of it.

_Eliana, are you feeling okay? You seem like you've been infested with wrackspurts. _

_Wait are those the things that make your brain go all fuzzy?_

_That's one way to put it._

_Stop laughing_

_I'm not- all right how could you tell?_

_Same way I'm passing divination. _

_By using a magic 8 ball._

_Nah, I broke that one. I guessed. _

_That's fine and dandy. I'll meet you in the common room in a while, okay?_

_Yep. Wonderful. _

_Now that, she's gone I can try to figure out how to keep her out. That should do it. I don't think anyone but me will be able to find it for a good 15 years. It could be like a time capsule, preserving my life at Hogwarts for future generations. I'll probably just leave it on a bookshelf in the library. It's safest there anyways. We're almost at war. There's this guy, Duke Moldyshorts or something equally insane. He thinks he is oh-so-supirior. I just think he's like Hitler. Moldywarts is probably not even pureblood. Hitler was part Jewish, wasn't he? I mean, Voldy-baldy-mort is probably a half-blood. _

_Until next time, empty book that Maize is making me write. I have Quidditch practice._

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~/

Morning dawned faster than I expected. The match was today. There was an excited mood in the air. Wood was barking instructions to the team. They had tromped down to the great hall, closely followed by the rest of Gryffindor tower. The only way we could wake Fred and George up was to set off a dungbomb right next to their bed. Let's just say it was a mad rush for the exit.

"You've got to eat some breakfast."

"I don't want anything."

The nerves had arrived. Harry was pushing his scrambled eggs around his plate, not eating a single bite.

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

"I'm not hungry."

We had an hour before the match. Rigel was putting the final touches on our banner. Hermione helped us with it. We took one of Ron's old sheets. Scabbers had chewed up the edges. Rigel drew a large Gryffindor lion underneath my handwriting reading, "Potter for President." Hermione had practiced the color-changing charm on it. She was really getting the hang of it.

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages. Boys eat like pigs, well at least the boys I know.

I scurried off before a majority of the crowd. Lee said if I got down to the pitch before Minnie, I could help commentate, or at least sit up there and possibly hit the score button.

"Ready Squirt?" Lee asked.

"My name is not squirt."

"Sure it isn't."

I was about to tackle Lee when Minnie came up to her spot on the bench, a small Gryffindor flag in hand.

"Miss Tonks, would you kindly join your classmates in the student section?"

"I invited her Professor," Lee said placing an arm around my shoulder, which I shrugged off.

"Very well, but I want no funny business from either of you," Minnie's lips thinned dangerously at the thought.

The Gryffindor and Slytherin teams walked onto the field. The two teams were quite different. The Slytherins were all male and fairly close to resembling the mountain troll we saw on Halloween. It was a miracle they could even get off the ground. I was proud to say I could name everyone on the Gryffindor team. Oliver Wood, the 5th year obsessive captain, grimaced as he shook hands with the Slytherin Captain, Flint. They both looked ready to break each other's hand.

Fred and George were knocking into each other like they were playing ping-pong waiting for Madame Hooch's signal. Harry was staring at the ground. I tried to get his attention. It wasn't working until Fred nudged him on the shoulder and gestured in my direction. I gave him a large smile and a thumbs-up before pointing at our makeshift sign. Harry's face lit up.

All the players clambered onto their brooms. Madame Hooch blew her whistle and the game began.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor — what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too —"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

I cut in. "She's really going-"

"Hey Squirt, this is my job. And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve — back to Johnson and — no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes — Flint flying like an eagle up there — he's going to sc— no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle — that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and — OUCH — that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger — Quaffle taken by the Slytherins — that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger — sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which"

"How can you not tell which? How long have you known them? That was George, by the way."

I saw Minnie's lips grow slightly narrower.

Lee stole the microphone away from me again.

"—Nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes — she's really flying — dodges a speeding Bludger — the goal posts are ahead — come on, now, Angelina — Keeper Bletchley dives — misses — GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

" Flint's off with the quaffle- passes to Warrington avoiding Spinnet-nice try anyways Alicia-"

"But Bell is on Warrington's other side- can't you see that?- and she snags it- skirts around Bole's wide Bludger-"

"Which nearly hits Gryffindor seeker, Harry Potter-"

"Who is absolutely amazing, the youngest seeker in a century-"

"Quiet Amira, I'm talking. He's the youngest player in a century."

"That's what I was just saying-"

"Quite the find of Wood's nearly as good or better than Charlie Weasley. Flint seizes back the quaffle."

"Fred Weasley hits a Bludger at Flint. Flint goes down. Quaffle grabbed by Katie Bell."

"Quick Pass to Spinnet-Back to Bell. She shoots-Bletchly comes forward-and MISSES-GOAL! - Slytherin in possession. Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the — wait a moment — was that the Snitch?"

Pucey, being the idiot that he is, dropped the quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

The seekers were amazing to watch. They were neck in neck. Harry was slowly edging out Higgins. He reached out his arm and WHAM! Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry holding on for dear life.

"Oi! That was deliberate!"

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

"So — after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating —"

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul…"

"Tonks, I'm warning you—"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

"That's it Tonks, out!"

I trudged away, to join Rigel, Hermione, Ron and our lovely banner. I distinctly heard McGonagall mutter under her breath, "I swear, it's like they're back."

I slid next to Rigel. Hagrid had joined them.

"That was wicked, Amira," Ron said as he high-fived me.

"Honestly, you could have gotten into loads of trouble for that…" Hermione began what proved to be a very long rant.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom… but he can't have…"

Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.

"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic — no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd.

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape — look."

Rigel grabbed the binoculars, and then handed them to me. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop under his breath.

"He's doing something — jinxing the broom," said Hermione.

"What should we do?"

"Leave it to me."

"Are you sure? Amira and I could do it. Snape already hates us."

"Plus what's one more detention?"

"I have to do this for Harry."

Ron snatched the binoculars from me and watched every one of Harry's frightening lurches closer. Fred and George began to circle below him, like vultures, to catch him, if it got much worse.

Stupid Marcus Flint scored five times throughout it all. The only people that seemed to notice it were the Slytherins. Their cheers were miniscule to the frantic worrying of everyone else.

There was a burst of blue light from the teacher's stand. Oh Hermione hurry up! I couldn't just sit there doing nothing either.

"What can we do?" I was becoming frantic.

"There's nothing we can do; just sit and watch," Rigel snapped.

"We could," I trailed off before it came to me, "soften the fall."

"With what?"

"Lorem Ipsumis" I waved my wand at the Quidditch Pitch.

"Brilliant."

We each cast a handful of the spells before Harry was miraculously able to clamber back onto his broom.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.

Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick— he hit the field on all fours bouncing nearly a foot back into the air — coughed — and something gold fell into his hand.

"Is that-?"I asked not really daring to believe.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

"WE WON! WE WON!" Ron was shouting over and over again, like he had never seen a team win a Quidditch match before. I mean, Charlie was Captain last year.

Rigel, Ron, Hagrid and I raced down to the field. I gave Fred and George quick congratulations, telling them "Rigel and I would meet them in the tower to help with the party, but we wanted to talk to Harry first."

Harry was incidentally getting a very large hug from Hermione. She stepped away and Hagrid nearly crushed him.

"Yeh fly just like yer dad, Harry, maybe even better."

Harry seemed breathless whether it was because he had just been nearly flattened or because he hadn't heard much about his parents. "Really?"

"Yeah, I'll tell you all at my place. Fancy a cuppa tea?"

We nodded in unison before heading towards the cabin on the edge of the woods.

Lee was happily yelling results behind us.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "We saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who didn't seem to have heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

We shared long looks. Who would tell Hagrid? It was hard to believe even if Snape is an evil greasy haired git.

"I found out something about him," he told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped the teapot. "How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

"That thing's name was Fluffy?" Rigel nearly shouted. "That monster was named Fluffy?"

I tried to cover for Rigel. Hagrid really was good company and I'd hate to loose him for calling a friend of his a monster. Hagrid just had unorthodox opinions of what was dangerous. "Not monster, more like massive probably misunderstood Cerberus."

"Yeah — he's mine — bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year — I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the —"

Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

Ah and I had such high hopes. You don't ever go straight out and ask when it comes to classified information.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione.

The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape.

"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh — yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel"

"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

I guess you can get information if you ask straight out. Next time, I'll just take Fred's advice and get Hagrid drunk.

**A.N. That took longer than I expected but how do you think it went? I really enjoyed writing Eliana's diary, even if today's entry was more of an introduction. So how'd you think it went? Leave a review and tell me. Also feel free to leave me a story recommendation for either yours or someone else's. I'm always looking for something new. **


	17. Chapter 16: Going on Holiday

**Sorry for the long wait. I've lost this chapter twice, I got sick and I had my school trip to Washington DC. And then my computer crashed and we had to take it in. I was part of the growing group insane enough to write a 50,000-word novel in a month, NaNoWriMo. (And now I'm not letting you read because I'm making excuses.)**

**This chapter has to be dedicated to Spirit of the Northlands, a wonderful person, the one who comforted me after I lost it the first time (and scolded me the second time) and the only other person writing fanfiction on the plane ride to DC.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own and I really don't deserve to own**

I sat on the bed looking out onto the Black Lake. It was still quiet; Fred and George weren't up yet. The sun was barely peaking over the horizon. All was peaceful and calm. I glanced at my watch. I had just a few more minutes of being eleven. So much had happened since last year.

I was heading back home today. It just figured that Rigel and I would spend 5 hours on a train but I'd get to see Nymphy, Mum and Dad, so it didn't really matter.

I heard Lavender stir. I got off the bed. If I wanted the bathroom within the next hour, I had to get in there now. Hermione had already left. She was searching in the library for any information on Nicolas Flamel. She had tried to drag me down as well but I flat out refused. We'd been in there nearly everyday since Hagrid had let the name slip. I had barely anytime for maraudering. I only saw Eloise during History of Magic and Herbology. We all had plans for before we left Hogwarts, well before Lee, Eloise and I left Hogwarts. Fred and George were staying at Hogwarts while their parents visited Charlie in Romania.

I brushed my teeth and skipped down to the common room. Yes, I do mean skipped. I didn't feel like I could do anything halfheartedly. I was surprised when I saw a banner hanging over the portrait hole.

Written in Eloise's elegant handwriting were the words, "Happy Birthday Amira and Rigel! Love, Fred, George, Lee and Eloise."

They really outdid themselves. I hadn't expected anything at all. I forgot I even mentioned my birthday to them. The banner was golden with little red sparkling balloons all over it. It was beautiful.

I ran up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. I pounded on the door. Neville opened it, a sock stuck on his ear.

"Hi Amira. You can come in, though Rigel's still sleeping. Seamus and Dean are down in the Great Hall. Hermione dragged Harry and Ron off to the library not to long ago. Happy Birthday by the way."

"Thanks, Neville. Um, why do you have a sock on your ear?"

"Oh," Neville pulled the sock down from his ear. "I was just packing. Gran wants me to have every thing but I can't seem to find my Remembrall."

"It'll show up. The things we loose have a way of coming back to us in the end."

Neville shrugged, "I guess."

"Then again it could always be the house elves"

Neville cracked a smile and opened the door wide enough for me to slip in.

I approached the bed on tiptoe. Neville was holding in laughter behind me. I pounced on the bed, jumping up down for about ten seconds before getting knocked off.

"Go away, Amira!" he mumbled.

Wow glad to know I'm so loved. Neville let out a bark of laughter.

I tried being threatening, "Rigel if you don't get up, I'm getting the water bucket and we all know what happens then."

Rigel just waved me away at that.

"You have presents," I added, sidestepping out of the way of Rigel as he popped out of bed.

"Why didn't you say that first?"

"I was testing how long it took to get you up."

"So, how'd I do?"

"You," I paused for dramatic effect, "failed. Happy birthday!"

* * *

><p>What was supposed to be a Mini Marauder meeting, turned into a massive snowball fight. Eloise joined Rigel and I on a team while the other group was Lee, Fred and George. The only rule was no magic.<p>

Eloise and I packed snow into a small wall. We sent Rigel off to get us some snowballs.

"Be prepared. Here they come!" Rigel yelled as he ducked behind the wall and handed us both some weaponry.

Snowballs were soon cascading through the air. I was throwing them as hard as I could but my aim seemed to be a bit off, though I did see one land in a mass of red hair.

A cold wet mass hit my face. More followed. My face was like ice although everywhere else I was sweating profusely. There was no longer time to form individual snowballs. I was just pelting handfuls of snow into the faces of my attackers as they advanced.

"ATTACK!" screamed Fred as they finally stormed our little fort.

"We surrender!" Eloise shouted. She nearly pushed me over the wall right into the waiting arms of the third year boys.

"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me," I grabbed the corner of her coat and tugged. We both toppled over the wall, getting a face full of snow. Yet all I could do was laugh. Soon the six of us were rolling around in the snow, without a care in the world.

* * *

><p>I stared at the castle. Hogwarts was silhouetted against the icy topped mountains. It was a beautiful sight.<p>

"Oh come on Squirt, I know-"

"-That you'll miss us-

"-Our gorgeous selves-"

" -But that's no use for the long face-"

"-We'll see you soon."

I gave Fred and George each a hug. "I'll see you soon."

"You bet you will."

They turned around to head back to the castle to the castle. Hermione rushed past them carrying a dusty old tome. It was falling apart. I'm fairly surprised Madame Pince even let it leave the library.

Hermione reached the train flushed and panting heavily. I helped her up.

"Thanks, I was just in the library. I know I've read that name somewhere. Do you think Harry and Ron will have any luck with it over the holidays?" She said when she finally caught her breath.

"Hermione, do you honestly think they'll even look?"

"Well not really, but one can hope," Hermione muttered, her voice getting softer.

"Just relax, it's Christmas. You'll get to see your family again. Don't waste all that time worrying over a book."

She nodded but I could already sense her fingers itching for the book. We made small talk as we tried to find Rigel, Eloise and Lee, scratch that while I tried to find Rigel, Eloise and Lee. Hermione tagged along.

They were in the second to last compartment on the train. Lee had his feet propped up on the seat across from him. Rigel and Eloise had started a game of exploding snap. Rigel had already lost his eyebrows because of it. The train started with a lurch that pushed Hermione and I into seats.

Hermione pulled right out the book and flipped through the pages furiously to find where she left off.

Lee gave a general glance in Hermione's direction. "How're are we supposed to pull this off with her here?"

"Lee!" Eloise scolded, "I'm sure she isn't going to be any trouble. We're done planning anyways. We just need to do it."

We all exchanged nods. This was going to be awesome. It's not like there were any teachers to stop us either. The prefects had full reign of the train and they were all cooped up in their compartment at the moment having their end of year meeting and gift exchange. Percy wasn't here either and he was practically the only one who didn't turn a blind eye to our pranks.

Lee glanced back at Hermione, "Do we have to tell her we're leaving?"

I paused, "No we'll be alright. She won't even notice we're gone. Wrapped up in that book of hers."

Eloise marched forward anyway, "um, Hermione, my name is Eloise Midgen. We're just going to visit some of my Hufflepuff friends. We shouldn't be gone long."

Hermione waved her arm and nodded like she understood but didn't take her eyes off the page in the book.

"Told you," I sang. Eloise just stuck out her tongue at me.

We walked down the hallways with a purpose. We traveled between cars until we were at the very front of the train. We all ducked down so the prefects could not see us when we passed their compartment. It was soon after that where we reached the goal of it all, the speaker system.

The plan was genius, although I doubt it required so many people. Several flicks of a wand and muttered words later, the announcement system would only speak in Pig Latin.

We made our way back to our compartment before we burst out into laughter. Hermione lowered her book and raised an eyebrow, "What did you do?"

"Nothing," we said in a purely innocent tone.

"Yeah, sure. Is anything going to explode?"

"Why would you think that?" Eloise asked, "The Hufflepuffs aren't particularly into that sort of thing. We'll just leave that to you Gryffindors but Ernie had some great jokes.

The announcement system came on just them erasing any hope of continuing to pass as innocent. "Eway areway alfwayhay oughthray ethay ourneyjay. Ebay uresay otay angechay ackbay intoway Ugglemay attireway eforebay eway arriveway atway Ingskay Osscray. Away eminderray otay allway udentsstay: Agicmay isway otnay allowedway uringday ethay olidayshay ueday otay ethay estrictionray ofway underageway izardryway. Avehay away easantplay ayday."

We tried to pass off innocent grins. Hermione gave us a stern look similar to McGonagall's. "Someone could be extremely hurt by that or at least in deep trouble with the Ministry if they didn't know about not doing magic outside of school."

I was stunned. "You speak Pig Latin Hermione?"

"Of-way Ourse-cay" She said with a sly smile.

Rigel and Lee left to fix the announcement system. Eloise brought out her book of codes and a pencil. Hermione became reburied in whatever library book she was reading. I grabbed Eliana Scott's journal. I hadn't told anyone about it yet. It felt like my own special little gift.

_Hogwarts amazes me sometimes. Maize, Laura and I were on our way to potions class, when we got lost, incredibly lost. We had to sidestep a disaster in our usual corridor. The Marauders (four Gryffindor boys in the year above us) set up a forest there. A real live forest with wild animals running through it. You could hear the howling of wolves and the barking of dogs from the entrance. _

_It was Laura's idea to trust the winged libliats to get us through the forest. Needless to say Maize and I both rejected that pretty quickly. We ended up using a corridor going in the general direction and then planned on using "Point me" the rest of the way. Of course it didn't go as planned. _

_We ended up at a dead end. The only thing in front of us was __a __stretch of bare, damp stone wall. I might have started on a slight rant about Slughorn, potions and Slytherins in general. _

_Laura had just said something along the lines, "Well, everybody is a bit prejudiced," when a door appeared. Yep it came right out of the wall. You have to love magic._

_The door was kind of begging for us to go through it. So we did. We were in a __l__ong, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling, from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. It would have been creepy but it was kind of cozy with a fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of us, and several empty carved chairs around it. We were looking around before we were interrupted by a boy, who came bursting out of a stairwell. He was about to push past us when he noticed our ties. _

"_You aren't supposed to be here," the boy said. He had black hair and fair skin. He was in our year, a Slytherin. "This is the __**Slytherin**__ common room. Shouldn't you be in potions?"_

"_We're a tad lost," Maize said staring at the boy. "Um, could you help us?"_

_The boy seemed to hesitate. "Well since I'm going there anyways."_

_When we got to the forest, the boy began to chuckle. He waved his wand in an intricate figure eight motion. The forest disappeared._

"_How'd you do that?"_

_He smirked at us. "My brother was working on it all summer while hid- while he was home." _

_I couldn't really place him. He looked awfully like Sirius Black, but Sirius hadn't mentioned anything about a brother and you could hear that Marauder's boisterous complaining about his evil family anywhere you went. _

_We walked in silence the rest of the way. The boy pushed open the door and walked into the classroom first._

"_Ahh, Regulus," Slughorn said looking at the boy. "Try to be more on time."_

_Regulus shrugged, "I was just cleaning up some of my brother's mischief."_

"_Brilliant, absolutely brilliant your brother…" Slughorn began one of his they're destined for greatness speeches, the ones no one wanted to listen to. I watched Regulus as his fists clenched and unclenched. His discomfort was obvious but I seemed to be the only one who saw it._

* * *

><p>Christmas is the best time of the year. We always spend it with dad's family. Mum's family is "a bunch of raging lunatics who were dead or wishing they were in Azkaban."<p>

A couple days before, we always gathered at Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jacob's house to bake sweets and go caroling. It was the most centralized location.

I followed Mum up to the little house. Rigel was giving me the evil eye. We had started a debate in the car over who would have to play with Abbey. She was adorable at the age of seven but there were only so many tea parties and princesses someone could take. I could already see her bouncing wildly in the window, waving ecstatically.

Dad rang the doorbell. I could hear furious running coming from inside (most likely Abbey.) Aunt Sarah opened the door. She pulled Dad into a hug before messing up the little hair he had left.

"Ah, Ted you're early," Aunt Sarah smiled. I couldn't remember a time when she wasn't smiling. She winked at Rigel and I, "How's your new school going? Practically magically, right?"

You have to love Aunt Sarah. She's the middle child, the next born after dad. Aunt Sarah knows about the wizarding world, not everything but just enough. Uncle Jacob knows a fair amount too. He lived down the street from Dad growing up. When he was finally told about the wizarding world, Uncle Jacob just said, "Well, that explains it all."

I got pulled into a hug from Aunt Sarah too before being tackled by Abbey. "MIRA! MIRA! MIRA!"

I cringed at the sound of my abbreviated name. Abbey hadn't been able to say my name when she was little. She would just call me Mira. And the name had sort of stuck.

"Our teachers taught us a new song in school. We got to go all around the halls singing the song. I got a 100% percent on my spelling test. I know how to spell the word holiday. See H-O-L-I-D-A-Y!"

"That's very good, Abbey," I said, calmly.

"Will you play with me? Please!" Abbey stuck out her bottom lip and tugged on her blonde hair. She was irresistablely cute. I almost said yes but Rigel cut in like the gentleman he was.

"Here Abbey, I'll play with you. Amira is going to help your Mummy make those biscuits you love so much." Abbey skipped away perfectly happy but Rigel shot me a you-know-you-owe-me look.

Aunt Sarah gave me a knowing look. "Just play a little with her later okay. Abbey has been talking all about her 'bestest' cousin Mira. She really misses you two now that you're off at as she calls it 'the very special school.'"

I nodded.

Mum started talking to Aunt Sarah. I walked into the kitchen. I'd get started on the fudge before Tally and Linnea got here with Uncle Dave and Aunt Karrie. They always seemed to do it every year and it was the best part. I turned into the kitchen and felt myself lifted off my feet.

I started looking around for exactly who was doing it. Uncle Jacob was sitting at the table smirking so that only left,

"DAD! Put me down!"

I felt myself being gently lowered to the ground. "Sorry about that Squirt," Dad apologized, "I just had to show Jacob some of the stuff you kids can get into at school now."

"That's alright-wait what is it with everyone calling me Squirt?"

Uncle Jacob got an odd grin on his face, "Well I guess it's just a tradition up and coming Squirt."

I rolled my eyes at that and pulled out the ingredients necessary.

"So you're liking it then? Changing desks into pigs or whatever it is you kids do these days."

"Absolutely!" I dried my hands before pulling over the flour. "My friends Fred, George, Lee and Eloise, not to mention Rigel get into-" I paused and glanced at Dad. "Maybe I should tell you later."

Dad gave me an amused smile. "Oh I know. Just be careful about what you say though. You're mother doesn't know yet."

"That explains where my howlers went."

Uncle Jacob looks slightly puzzled. Dad quickly explained, "It's like a letter with a recording of someone yelling at you in it, that plays for the entire Great Hall to hear."

He gave out a laugh before the doorbell rang.

I ran to the door to see who it was. Aunt Karrie, Uncle Dave, Tally, Linnea and little Timothy were waiting on the stoop impatiently. They were different from Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jacob. Uncle Dave was a couple years older than Dad. He was always envious of Dad. Uncle Dave was the apple of Granddad and Grandma's eye until they learned about magic. I doubt he would have ever told Aunt Karrie at all if they hadn't lived during the height of the Wizarding War.

Tally, my older cousin, was just as envious as her father. I think she wanted to be a witch because she went out of her way to prove herself better than us at anything and everything.

Tally's now a couple years ahead of her year. She plays 3 different musical instruments. She's a budding actress already taking the leads in several of her school's musical productions but it never seems to be enough for her.

Linnea is fairly quiet considering the rest of our family. She stopped worrying about being outshined a while ago. She'd rather just sit in the corner with her notebook or stay upstairs with her cello than anything else. (The cello was one of the instruments that didn't make the cut with Tally. Though Linnea has the skill to make it sound like the most beautiful thing in the world.) Linnea's the closest to Rigel's and my age. She's ten.

Timothy is only three. You have to be careful around him. He's at the stage where he repeats absolutely everything because he thinks it's terribly funny. Timothy carries around a stuffed monkey named Bert everywhere.

"MIRA!" Timothy shouted and toddled toward me with his short little legs. "Bert and me took a bath. I look pretty?"

Timothy makes me smile all the time. He has the infectious little kid air about him that makes him adorable. "You look very handsome." I gave him a hug.

"Bert wants a hug too," he said holding up the monkey.

"Of course." I gave Bert a hug as well before giving Timothy a kiss on the forehead.

"Hey Amira," Linnea said, shrugging off her coat. "Where's Rigel?"

"He's downstairs."

Linnea and Rigel get along the best out of all of us. I think it's because they're so alike (quiet, slightly shy) and they enjoy writing stories together. (Well Linnea writes them and Rigel illustrates them.)

Tally brushed past me into the kitchen, without a word. Aunt Karrie made some comments about how I was growing up so fast and so well. Uncle Dave followed his eldest daughter's example.

When they had all left the entrance hall, I heard a faint pop. Within a few minutes, Nymphy was standing on the doorstep.

"I'm not late, am I?" She changed her hair color from the bubblegum pink to raven to match mine. It was just easier for everyone if she did, especially when Aunt Emma didn't know anything about magic.

"Nope!" I pulled my older sister into a hug. I missed her the most over all my time at Hogwarts. I was used to having her there to help with my every problem. Even when she was at Hogwarts, Nymphy had her ways of connecting with Rigel and I, namely the floo network. (Nymphy learned Sprout's schedule and would sneak into her office whenever Sprout went patrolling. It was typically with Charlie's help though.) But now Nymphy was either at Auror training or on classified missions (and McGonagall's office was harder to get into. I guess I could always try the Gryffindor fireplace but that might be blocked.)

I just stood there my arm wrapped around Nymphy tightly inhaling her sweet scent. Her long her tickled the back of my neck as she bent down slightly to look me in the eye. "Well, Squirt how's life treating you? That last prank turn out alright?"

"What's with every one calling me Squirt? I thought you knew better Nymphadora," I over exaggerated every syllable of Nymphy's hated name.

"Ah, but I think it's so fun to mess with you," Nymphy said a bright smile already present on her lips despite being called that horrible name.

"Good to know, I have such a loving family," I muttered under my breath.

"Oh you just don't know what you would do without me!" Nymphy stated loudly enough to let the entire house know she was here.

Timothy was the first to get there. He ran, dragging Bert and he collided into Nymphy. He was shouting, "NYMFY HERE! NYMFY HERE!" the slight lisp preventing him to say Nymphy's name properly.

We went into the kitchen to help with the preparations. I was halfway through helping Nymphy and Tally cut out the biscuits, when the doorbell rang again. Rigel went to go check as my hands were covered in flour.

"It's them"

Mum gave us a stern look. Aunt Emma doesn't know anything about our world. I'm surprised she's survived this long in the family without suspecting anything. It was a surprise to everyone when Uncle Mathew announced their engagement. Uncle Mathew is completely enthralled with his work. There were times when we didn't see him and when we did, he was still on call with the office. Uncle Mathew is a police officer. Dad says he's a natural Gryffindor. Uncle Mathew saw more things about the war than I think even Dad did. Mum, Dad and Nymphy all went into hiding. They set up safe houses, with Fidelius charms and put simple protective charms on the Muggle houses in the neighborhood, but that was their extent of the war effort.

Uncle Mathew saw it all though. He kept pushing against all odds. There were thousands of Muggle catastrophes. Uncle Mathew couldn't really do much to help but the Muggle Worthy Excuse Committee was swamped with all the battles and death eater activity. Obliviators would show up to the crime scene, get the story and wipe everyone else's minds of the incident. Uncle Mathew was left with whatever awful occurrence etched in his mind and the job of covering it all up. Dad offered some help but mostly Uncle Mathew was left alone in the world. You'd think he'd be bitter for all he's been through but he isn't.

Linnea and I were co-flower girls at the wedding. Mum had the hardest time forcing me to wear the dress but afterwards I wouldn't take it off (or stop spinning around in circles. Life was s much simpler at 7.) It was all frilly and pastel blue but it was nothing compared to Aunt Emma's dress. Hers was really something taken right from a fairy tale. When I'm older, I could probably use the memory for a Patronus, a shield charm for repelling dementors. Nymphy was having issues with it during her NEWTs. Her memory turned out to be the summer where we tried to go camping. It was a disaster. I don't think Dad should have left us to fish by ourselves. We all ended up soaking wet with nothing else to show for.

Well, what I was saying was that although it is slightly odd trying to hide a major part of our lives from Aunt Emma, she's definitely become a strong part of our family. She was the one who forced us to go caroling though we probably could have lived with out that. We're so horrible at it. Tally gets all snippy because apparently I can't sing. (There's no apparently. I stink.)

Aunt Emma is a petite woman. In her arms was my youngest cousin, Michael. He's adorable at just 8 months. His little head was covered in the fairly common short brown fuzz of our family. Michael was still asleep from the car ride. He'd soon be up and crawling everywhere. He had the natural curiosity that proved he was a Tonks.

It wasn't really Christmas, until we were all there gathered around the table. It was a simple tradition but it brought together all the comforts of the holiday season. And we always seemed to end up having a food fight with the flour. And no it is not always my fault. It's just most of the time. This year Abbey started it. She really looks up to me and that alarms me a little bit.

"So Mira, you had your flour fight. Can we play now?" Abbey smiled up at me.

"Sure. Who do you want to be? The Princess or the bad guys?" I found it cute that she purposely threw the flour in Tally's hair to get me to play with her.

"I wanted to play a new game. How 'bout we play Witches?" Abbey lowered her voice, "That way you can tell me all about your super special school without Aunt Emma knowing. She'll just think we're playing pretend."

"Absolutely, it's like we're talking in a code," I humored her.

"YEAH! We need a super-duper secret code," Abbey skipped into her room. I shrugged my shoulders and followed.

* * *

><p>Platform 9 and ¾ was crowded as everyone tried to go back to school. It really had been a nice break. Holiday cheer had been endless. Though, I was somewhat anxious to join my fellow Mini Marauders. Nymphy had given us some amazing pranking supplies, including a necklace with a simple disillusionment charm on it. By the looks of Lee's letter, he had an idea for the silly string I'd given him.<p>

I peered over the tops of the crowd, looking for a familiar head. In the distance was one of a girl with bushy brown hair. She'd want to know right away about Flamel. Oh Merlin, I'd forgotten about Flamel.

"Hey, Mum, What did Nicolas Flamel do?" I stared at the ground, avoiding eye contact. I was sure that if I looked directly at Mum she'd know what we were up to.

Mum gave an exasperated sigh, "Amira did you leave your History of Magic homework off to the last minute? I thought you'd be a bit more responsible."

"Andy, it's fine. Amira still got the entire 6-hour train ride to finish up the last minute schoolwork. I'm sure she doesn't do this usually," Dad covered for me.

Rigel was vigorously trying to convey that my lack of responsibility was a rather common thing. I elbowed him hard. He gave me a sheepish grin.

"Yes, mum, though can I just have a hint? I've looked everywhere," I pleaded.

"I don't really think you're old enough to be learning about it. I'd rather not have the two of you messing with alchemy. Who knows what you'd be able to get into?" Mum shrugged. I felt my heart lift a little bit. We had a clue to what was behind the trap door.

**So now you've met Ted's side of the family. There is little to no information on Ted in general, so I based it on my own extended family. **

**As a quick recap:**

**Uncle Dave (the oldest of the siblings) ~ Aunt Karrie: Tally (15), Linnea (10) Timothy (3)**

**Ted~ Andromeda: Nymphy (18), Amira (12) and Rigel (12)**

**Aunt Sarah~ Uncle Jacob: Abbey (7)**

**Uncle Mathew~ Aunt Emma: Michael (2)**

**Happy Belated Thanksgiving to anyone in America!**


	18. Chapter 17: Finding the Value of Friends

**The author ducks to avoid flying objects as she races to the podium on the stage in front of the angry crowd. She glances at the enraged faces and clears her throat nervously, "I might have had slight writer's block and limited time to write due to a school project, a video documentary for Civics (I'm pretty sure my Boggart has changed. There is nothing scarier than following people around with a camera and then editing **_**hours**_** of video into a short 8 minute period. It sounds like fun until you actually do it.) Our teachers crammed tests in. Long story short, I got side tracked by the real world. And then it just wasn't sounding the way I wanted it too. Oh well, um, enjoy."**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Hermione has got to be the most single-minded person on the entire planet. Her entire vacation must have revolved around Flamel. She started grilling Harry and Ron the second we reached the castle. Hermione probably would have pestered Rigel and I as well, if she hadn't thought I'd forget about it, despite the letter she sent about it. I wasn't that bad. Granted I'd forgot about it until the very last minute the train left the station, but that was just a small detail that I could over look as I enjoyed the humorous scene in front of me.

The five of us were sitting curled up in several of the armchairs in the common room. Hermione was giving Harry odd sort of scolding. Halfway through her thought, she'd change subjects. Hermione was stuck between the horror of Harry being out of bed and approval at his attempting to find the true nature of Nicolas Flamel.

"If Filch had caught you! Well it's really a shame you didn't find Flamel, but you shouldn't have been in the restricted section. Those books are off limits for a reason. You had the right idea though. It's hard to get anything done with Madame Pince there, but that doesn't mean you should sneak out in the middle of the night. Why? You could have searched during the day. Honestly, wasn't it obvious there was nothing on Flamel in the restricted section after the first night? Filch would have been keeping an eye on the place. His suspect would return to the scene of the crime and you did-"

Harry cut her off. He was looking slightly annoyed. "I didn't go back to the library. I found a mirror the first night. It was ornately carved and nearly covering the wall of one of the spare rooms on the fourth floor. There were nonsense words inscribed at the top of it."

"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi," I muttered under my breath. I'd seen the mirror too.

Harry shot me a shocked look.

"Harry, you have to leave the mirror alone. Dumbledore said not to go back. It doesn't feel right."

Hermione and Rigel were giving us skeptical looks. I hadn't told Rigel of my midnight escape from Filch. It seemed unimportant after all the chaos of the opening prank and the detentions following. I wasn't really sure what I saw was real either. It was the middle of the night. Sleep was a very welcome thing.

"What'd you see?" I asked Harry. Maybe my vision was an average one, something that was normal in ornate magical mirrors.

Harry grew somewhat solemn. He absentmindedly ran his hand over the lightening bolt scar on his forehead. "I saw my parents and my extended family."

Oh, Harry looked so miserable. He stared at the fireplace. Flames licked the edge of a paper someone had discarded there earlier. Ron threw his arm around Harry's shoulder in a brother like fashion before hastily trying to change the subject. "The Cannons lost again, though they're going to make a comeback any day now. Gorgevitch is an amazing chaser. I can't believe Puddlemore was willing to trade him."

"Yeah for a record sum," Rigel said, "He's past his prime. Wimbourne has the cup in the bag."

Harry steadily joined back into the conversation. Hermione had an odd expression on her face. I wasn't sure if it was from the Quidditch (which generally confused her) or the Mirror. "Amira, you said something was inscribed at the top. What was it?"

"Do you have a quill? It's most likely a different language. It doesn't make sense."

She fished one out of her pocket and handed it to me. I scribbled the odd words there. Hermione flipped the paper around. She folded it over so the letters lined up with each other. Then an idea seemed to hit her. "I'll be right back I just have to go-"

"To the library," we all said despite the fact the boys were engrossed in Quidditch talk. I happily joined them.

Hermione huffed. "I was going to say to our dorm. I just have to check something-"

"In a book?" Ron suggested.

Hermione stormed up the stairs.

Harry still hasn't picked a team to support yet in the Professional Quidditch League and so there might be some heated competition for support.

"The Cannons have the best coach in the entire league. The other teams don't stand a chance."

"If we don't have a chance, why was the score of the Wasp/Cannon game 470-10?" I countered.

"And let's not forget the only goal they scored was a penalty shot right after a bludger had hit Trebond in the head so he couldn't see two feet in front of him."

"The Cannons have a stronger defensive front."

"Offense is the best defense."

Hermione raced down the steps. "I thought about it. What better way to read a message on a mirror than in a mirror?"

I glanced at the others to make sure I wasn't alone in my confusion.

"What?" Ron asked bluntly.

"I held the words in front of the mirror in our room. Backwards they spell 'I show not your face but your heart's desire."

"Who knew Lavender's mirror would be good for something?" I joked.

"No one but Parvati, that's for sure." We shared a smile. The boys have not figured out the hierarchy of the girl's dorms and they won't anytime soon. They're coming nowhere near our dorm.

"That's what Dumbledore said. What'd you see? Ron saw himself as Head Boy-"

"-And Quidditch Captain. We won the house cup too, but it's not like the mirror shows the future." Harry smirked at that. It was obvious they had had that part of the conversation before. Ron's desire was a little weird though. He wasn't uptight with the rules like Perfect Prefect Percy. Ron was rather laid back, just as excited about nighttime wanderings as we were.

"I saw myself, my friends and some weird old people floating in the background."

"Weird."

* * *

><p>Fred and George came into the Mini Marauders meeting, muddy and disheveled. Their faces were pulled into identical frowns.<p>

"We come bringing-"

"Good news-"

"And horribly sinister news."

We ignored them for the most part. Lee was twisting his wand through the air and pointing it a biscuit taken graciously from a house elf in the kitchen. He was trying to see how big "Engorgio" would get it to go. He set the biscuit on the desk, as it was getting too heavy to hold. The biscuit swelled slightly larger from its dinner plate size.

Eloise had a crossword puzzle. Rigel and I were "helping" her finish it by reading over her shoulder.

"That one's supposed to be swallow."

"No it's not. It has to begin with an n."

"Insurance is wrong then. "

Eloise started crossing out the previous word. She ran her finger along it and to all its connecting words. "Alright," her voice sounded uncertain. "But no, that doesn't work."

"Is anyone listening to us at all?"

"Come and Bow before your-"

"Pranking leaders."

That definitely triggered the reaction they were hoping for. General disarray followed. When the fight for leadership was over and we were a fully established democracy _again_, Rigel finally asked the question the twins were waiting for, "What's the bad news?"

"Should we tell them Fred?" asked Fred.

"I think not George. They doubted our abilities. " George replied, adding to the mayhem of trying to get us to mess up their names.

"Very funny guys, now what's the news?" I asked.

"Wood has just informed Fred and I, " began Fred.

I reached my wit's end. Honestly, no wonder Lee could never tell them apart. They were always switching.

"Stop it. " I motioned with my arms, "This is Fred. Fred will be referred to only as Fred and not as George. " I pointed at George. "George will also stop making the switch jokes, at least at Mini Marauder meetings. Annoy your mum all you want but stop doing it here."

"Yes, Mum," Fred and George grinned. "Are you done? "

"Or do you have another rant just waiting to make an appearance?"

I shrugged. That was absolutely pointless but they were at least referring to themselves properly, for now.

"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, Gryffindor could overtake Slytherin for the house cup."

Eloise was confused. To be frank, so was I. "And why is that bad news? I'd prefer it to be Hufflepuff but upsetting Slytherin's streak is much more important."

"Patience small one. It all depends on the results of the Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff match. There's one problem though-"

"Snape's refereeing."

He couldn't be. Was Snape that meddling? He wouldn't stop at anything to make sure his precious Slytherins continued to win.

"But that's not fair!" (Rigel) "He's biased." (Eloise) "Hufflepuff will win by _so_ much!" (Lee) "We. Are. Doomed!" (Me!)

Lee had a sudden thought. "What about the good news?"

"We've got the idea for our next prank."

"It's a good one too."

"Well what is it?" Eloise asked.

"We will even the odds a little."

"Besides itching powder never hurt anyone."

"What about our chances? We have just as much chance as you do at winning the cup."

Everyone else in the room exchanged glances.

"What? There are five of you losing points for Gryffindor everyday, where as Hufflepuff only has me… and miscellaneous troublesome older kids, not to mention Zacharias Smith."

"It's okay, Ellie. They just didn't realize how loyal you were to your house. You're always with us. They've made you an honorary Gryffindor and no one deserves that title more," Rigel said wrapping his arm around her. "I'll try to stop them from doing anything too rash."

Eloise smiled slightly. "That's sweet, but don't call me Ellie, ever again." She glanced at us. "Plus I don't think that's possible."

* * *

><p>Eloise and I hadn't spoken in nearly a week. Rigel sat with Eloise during History of Magic. I was forced to horror of all horrors actually listen to Binns. Harry and Ron were playing hangman. Parvati and Lavender were gossiping over a copy of Witch Weekly. Seamus and Dean were passing notes and breaking out into spontaneous laughter. I was left by myself and it was all my fault.<p>

I'd mention the detail to Hermione about Flamel. In addition to a chocolate frog card, they were able to figure out about the Philosopher's Stone. I didn't really care. I don't think being able to live forever would solve anything. Gold wouldn't be too bad but gold couldn't laugh with you, or tease you or help you. It was a non-feeling cold metal.

* * *

><p>My stubborn pride made it almost unbearable getting ready for the match. Nymphy's old scarf seemed itchy against my neck. My new tie was way too tight. I tugged on the pair of black and yellow socks. They felt constricting. I grabbed the face paint off the bathroom counter. I cringed as I smeared it over my skin. Neon Yellow.<p>

I was banned from helping Lee commentate the match. Professor McGonagall was there when I showed up. She gave me a bewildered look. If McGonagall hadn't used my name while kicking me out of the announcer's seat, I would have sworn she had no idea who I was.

I was there early too, ridiculously considering how long it took for Hermione to get me up in the morning. I skipped breakfast to try to get the seat and avoid my fellow Gryffindors. I was being a coward but that didn't matter to me right now. I was doing what I should have done days ago.

I sat in the Hufflepuff stands, near the back. I wanted to stay unseen until Eloise and the other first years showed up. Older students filled in not giving me a second glance. The Slytherins were cheering with Hufflepuff not that either of the houses were getting very close to each other. There was a definite line between them.

The first years came in all as one large group. I wasn't surprised that every one seemed to be paired off with their best friend. I noticed it a lot more when I no longer had one. Hannah, Susan and Ernie walked side by side. Megan Jones and Leanne Phipps kept giggling and bumping into each other, trying to knock the other off balance. Zacharias was looking at the world through Justin's Muggle binoculars. He pointed at odd places in the crowd. Whenever he did, Justin would start snickering. Eloise brought up the rear, a small Hufflepuff flag in one hand and a book in the other. When they were all seated, I snuck my way down to join them, scrambling over empty benches and around towering older students. I sat down next to Eloise.

"Are you actually going to watch the match? Or are you going to read your book the whole time?"

"Amira! What are you doing here? What are you wearing?" Eloise exclaimed. Her face went into the comical o-shape found on cartoons.

"I am here to apologize. I was being a prat. I should have thought about your house," I began. "I didn't think, I mean I was being an idiot. I just-"

"Stop babbling already. Amira, I forgive you honestly. It's not like you betrayed me to Filch. I'm still here, still detention free, and you are possibly the biggest contradiction here. "

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She looked at me again as if it should be obvious. "You're the bravest Gryffindor there is, wearing enemy colors, especially with George staring at us the way he is. "

George was staring. He sat back on his broom as Snape gave Hufflepuff a penalty on the argument that George had nearly hit him in the head with a bludger. It was a very nice shot. George was bewildered that's for sure. He kept blinking and glancing in our direction even after play had resumed.

"Let him stare all he wants. I like yellow."

"You didn't have to do this," Eloise mumbled.

"Course I did. I needed to have intelligent conversation without someone nagging me to do something or expecting something of me. Where was I supposed to get that when I offended you terribly?"

"Amira. I mean. Just I overreacted, you didn't -"

"Now you're the one babbling."

And we were laughing. Just because our whole conversation sounded bizarre and strangely cliché. Because it felt nice to half someone who understood you completely, not because they were related to you and had to. Nice to have a best friend.

Harry went into a spectacular dive. I would have sworn he was aiming for Snape if I hadn't seen a faint flash of gold. I rose to my feet to start cheering, forgetting momentarily that I was in the Hufflepuff stands covered in yellow face paint. When I did, I hesitated and started to sit down again. Eloise joined me though. She leaned against the railing in front of her. "GO HARRY!"

Gryffindor won. It was the shortest game on record, four minutes and 23 seconds. It beat out the previous record set in 1953 by nearly 6 minutes. A lot had happened during our match though. I wouldn't change one thing.

"'Kay Eloise I'm abducting you. We have two options. You can join the party in the Gryffindor common room or we can head to the kitchens."

"Kitchens. I could use some of Wiggle's hot chocolate. I'm sure one of them will be willing to help us get that paint off as well."

I fake whined, "What if I like the paint?"

"Then I'm sneaking you into the Hufflepuff dormitories. I'd like you alive tomorrow."

"Very funny."

Eloise gave a fake bow. "I try my best. I really do."

**A.N. I have decided that since I told you I'd be updating soon, my updates have slowed drastically. I'm going to try something. The next chapter will be ready when it gets done. My documentary is due the 20****th****, so after that I will be free to write. **

**There is a poll regarding the Chamber of Secrets on my profile. Please go vote. Also, I have a companion one shot to this story called That Special Place in her Heart. I'd be honored if you read it. Thank you so much for putting up with me and a very Happy New Year to you!**


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